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Low oil prices slowed the volume of general cargo the Port of Houston Authority handled in the first five months of the year, commissioners said June 28.Yet, signaling long-term confidence, the Port Commission also awarded a contract for up to $34.4 million to buy three cranes for its Bayport Container Terminal.

Years of construction, delay and anticipation will crest on June 26 as the first containership officially traverses the expanded Panama Canal. While the Central American channel has not always been a significant trade route for the Port of Houston Authority, officials say the expansion could help boost its burgeoning trade with Asia.

As trade through the Port of Houston grows, the city's ability to attract more cargo and keep its top ranking hinges on the infrastructure that keeps goods moving.