Houston Ship Channel Pilots

Watch the Replay

Port Houston is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities. With over 200 million tons of product transported annually, it has grown to be one of the world’s busiest ports. The Houston Ship Channel allows ocean-going vessels to travel between the Port and the Gulf of Mexico. Even though the waters are periodically widened, the cozy channel can become a standstill without skillful pilots. Learn from a former Houston Ship Channel pilot and Exxon Mobil tanker captain how thousands of boats navigate these narrow waters every year.

Captain Michael A. Morris

Professor, Lone Star College

Captain Michael A. Morris is a retired member and past president of the Houston Pilots. He has been a licensed pilot on the Houston Ship Channel since 1995 and previously worked for Exxon Mobil for 20 years. Captain Morris is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and is a double recipient of the institution’s Outstanding Professional Achievement Award. He has served on many boards and councils in the area including the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Houston Port Bureau, and the Houston Maritime Museum. He currently teaches at Lone Star College.