Crowley has announced a new weekly container service connecting Port Houston to Santo Tomás de Castilla in Guatemala and Puerto Cortés in Honduras, two of Central America’s largest and fastest-growing trade gateways.
The Gulf-Central America Express Service makes its inaugural Houston call on September 10, with Thursday departures thereafter.
The service will carry dry and refrigerated containers transporting fresh produce, apparel, industrial products and consumer goods, with container options including 40 and 45-foot dry and refrigerated units, 53-foot dry containers and 20 and 40-foot flat-rack equipment.
The inclusion of 53-foot containers maximises intermodal efficiency in inland markets, providing direct access to Texas, Midwest and West Coast destinations through Port Houston’s extensive inland connectivity.
The launch responds to strong trade growth between Central America and the United States, with Central American exports to the US growing 15.7% year-on-year in early 2026, driven largely by fresh produce demand according to the Inter-American Development Bank.
Claudia Kattan, Crowley’s Vice President for Central America, Mexico and Panama, highlighted the service’s direct Houston connection as providing faster transits, improved inventory planning and greater flexibility for time-sensitive cargo without the delays associated with transshipment routing.
Port Houston Chief Commercial Officer John Moseley welcomed the service as expanding customer choice for refrigerated and dry cargo through Houston.
CEO Charlie Jenkins framed the new connection as creating a more direct path for fresh produce and everyday goods to reach stores and families across the region while enabling Texas businesses to connect more effectively with Central American customers.
Crowley’s expansion builds on more than 65 years of integrated inland logistics presence across the Caribbean and Central America, combining ocean transportation with warehousing and inland services through a single provider to reduce supply chain handoffs and improve visibility for retail and commercial customers managing product inventory and shelf-life cycles.
