Largest maritime container ports in the United States (U.S.) - statistics & facts
In the United States, several maritime ports have risen in prominence over time, becoming an integral part of the country’s economic development. With the uptake in international trade, spurred by modern globalization, the importance of U.S. ports has grown further. Between 1981 and 2020, the weight of waterborne commerce traded by the U.S. increased by over 67 percent, and container trade has grown even stronger: From 2000 to 2020, the volume of containers processed at U.S. ports nearly doubled. This increase was primarily due to the growing economic ties between the U.S. and China. As of 2020, China was the biggest trading partner of the U.S., accounting for nearly 57 percent of waterborne trade value.
In 2020, the three leading U.S. ports in terms of total cargo throughput were on the Gulf of Mexico. The Port of Houston was the largest port in the U.S., processing almost 276 million short tons of seaborne cargo. This port is a primary gateway of liquid bulk cargo leaving and entering the country: About 70 percent of all cargo processed at the Houston Port in 2021 was liquid bulk.
The Port of South Louisiana ranked second with a throughput of 225 million short tons in 2020. The port is an important hub for U.S. grain exports. In 2020, around 23 percent of all cargo handled at the Port of South Louisiana was maize, and some 16 percent soybeans.
Busiest cargo ports in the U.S.
Until the 19th century, the Port of Boston was the busiest maritime port in the country. Today, the ports in Houston, South Louisiana, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York are among the most prominent ports in the U.S.In 2020, the three leading U.S. ports in terms of total cargo throughput were on the Gulf of Mexico. The Port of Houston was the largest port in the U.S., processing almost 276 million short tons of seaborne cargo. This port is a primary gateway of liquid bulk cargo leaving and entering the country: About 70 percent of all cargo processed at the Houston Port in 2021 was liquid bulk.
The Port of South Louisiana ranked second with a throughput of 225 million short tons in 2020. The port is an important hub for U.S. grain exports. In 2020, around 23 percent of all cargo handled at the Port of South Louisiana was maize, and some 16 percent soybeans.
