Public officials from Houston and Texas are embarking on a trade mission to see the expanded Panama Canal and discuss its prospects for business opportunities.

The trade mission, beginning Sunday, will be led by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Ambassador Juan B. Sosa, consul general of Panama in Houston. It was organized by the U.S.-Panama Business Council and other business organizations.

The canal’s expansion will allow it to handle larger ships, and also provide a boost to Houston’s burgeoning trade with Asia. The industry’s standard measurement for a container ship’s capacity is “TEU,” which refers to the equivalent of 20-foot containers. Before its expansion, the Panama Canal could accommodate ships with 5,000-TEU capacity; it can now handle ships with up to 14,000 TEUs.