Houston Ship Channel: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 30, 2026

News •

Hundreds died in USS Houston in WWII. Indonesia will now preserve the shipwreck. • Oct. 25, 2026, 6:30 PM ET (Houston Chronicle)

Photos

Houston Ship Channel, Houston, Texas

A barge travels along the Houston Ship Channel in front of a large oil refinery complex with storage tanks and industrial towers in the background.

See All Images →

Topics

Grand Canal Intracoastal Waterway Grand Canal White Sea–Baltic Canal Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Volga-Baltic Waterway Trent Canal Arkansas River Navigation System Elbe-Lübeck Canal