Union Pacific’s Dockside Service at Port Houston Enables Fast Time to Market

The positive momentum continues a year after Union Pacific launched on-dock rail service at Port Houston, helping customers’ goods move more efficiently to their destinations.

The service, which allows intermodal containers to be loaded onto railcars from freighters at Port Houston and shipped directly to inland terminals without being transported by truck, was announced in May 2023. In December of that year, it expanded to four additional inland markets, and in March 2024, the service expanded to two more markets. In total, the service provides customers with rail access from Port Houston’s Barbours Cut Container Terminal to Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Kansas City, Laredo, Los Angeles, Memphis, Oakland, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

To subscribe to Inside track

The on-dock solution saves customers time, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by removing trucks from highways, and simplifies the end-to-end supply chain for customers. It eliminates the need to truck containers approximately 30 miles from the port to the nearest rail facility in Houston to load onto railcars, reducing traffic congestion in the Houston area.

“It’s a win-win any time we can accelerate time to market for our customers and grow with them,” said Kenny RockerUnion Pacific’s executive vice president of marketing and sales. “We are excited to strengthen our presence in the Houston market and pursue the potential of the service.”

Port Houston is the largest intermodal container port on the Gulf Coast, handling 73% of U.S. Gulf Coast container traffic, and is a critical economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the United States.

“The addition of on-dock intermodal services has opened new markets for Port Houston customers and improved the efficiency of freight movement through our terminals,” said John MoseleyPort Houston’s Chief Commercial Officer. “We appreciate Union Pacific’s commitment to Houston and look forward to continuing to work together to provide the important services our customers need.”

Union Pacific service from Barbours Cut Container Terminal in Port Houston provides access to multiple metropolitan areas on our rail network.