10 Major Ports of the United States

The United States has a strong maritime sector that contributes significantly to its economy. Per MARAD, the country has more than 300 ports operated by states, municipalities and private corporations.

Historically, the USA has had a strong presence in shipping since the early 1600s. However, commercial cargo operations took a great boost from 1820 onwards.

With the global uprise of the United States, merchant cargo trading since 1952 saw a steady rise. Along with Canada, the US takes the North American shipping share to 44% of the total world count. In the last decade, U.S shipping showed a growth of 6.9% in terms of cargo handling volume.

The United States ranks second among the countries with the largest Exclusive Economic Zone with an active zone of 11,351,000 sq. km approximately.

In this article, we will review the 10 Major U.S Ports, their cargo handling operations including key facts and figures and their networks and layout.

1. Port of Houston (Texas, USA)

The port of Houston amounts to over 280 million MT of cargo movement. This makes it the busiest foreign tonnage handling port in the entire country.

In 2023, the port handled 3,824,600 TEUs and total tonnage at all of its terminals declined 4% in 2023, reaching 50,323,264 tons.

It is the 5th biggest container port in the U.S per total TEUs and also the largest Gulf Coast container facility handling 73% of U.S Gulf Coast Container Traffic. It is also the biggest Texas port with a 97% market share in containers.

The port was established in 1914 along the Houston downtown harbour. At present, the facility covers an area of 52 miles, as far as Morgan’s Point. Amongst all the ports in the USA, Houston handles 2.5 times more cargo, except for South Louisiana.

Cargo Handling

The port has an average of 7,800 to 8,500 calls of sea-going vessels every year. There are a total of 9 public terminals, with 2 container terminals and 5 general cargo operation terminals. The channel width is 106.5 meters with a maximum depth of 11.4 meters.

A 2022 study conducted by Martin Associates showed that Houston Port’s business activity supports 1.54 million jobs in Texas and 3.3 million jobs in the country, which generates $ 906 billion in nationwide economic value.

Network and Layout

The Houston port network is the largest in terms of container handling on the US Gulf line. Moreover, the 52 heavy-lift docks spread through the layout cover different roles.

The network consists of more than 200 small and big operators with public and private origins. The land transport of cargo takes place through the web-like Houston railway network and trucks.

2. Port of South Louisiana (Laplace, USA)

The Port of South Louisiana has existed since the early 1700s, with cargo operation in function since the 1940s. It ranks next to the Port of Houston in terms of overall cargo tonnage in million MT. Moreover, South Louisiana handles 60% of all the grain cargo in the Midwest.

The facility spreads just over 54 miles, being one of the biggest and most widespread ports in the USA. Both its ends span between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

The port recorded 11.9% growth over the last decade, a crucial mark in terms of contribution to the nation’s economy. Its location beside the Mississippi River gives it the highest traffic density amongst the US river ports.

Cargo Handling

South Louisiana Port The facility has a total of 13 available berths and handles over 4000 sea-going vessels every year. The maximum draft has a restriction of 13.5 to 15.2 meters of available depth at different berths. Their cargo handling features a mix of breakbulk, dry bulk, container, and liquid cargo operations. The facility handles 25% of all the oil cargo that moves across the US. In 2023, the Port of South Louisiana handled 248.1 million short tons.

Network and Layout

The superport acts as the starting point for a pipeline service almost 640 miles long. This network carries 800 barrels of oil from the facility to the different parts of the US. 3 major highways (Interstate 10, 55 and 59) link this port to every major destination in the U.S.

3. Port of New York, NY, and NJ (New York, USA)

The port of New York and New Jersey encloses the entire coastal area of the New York Harbour. This facility spreads over an area of 25 miles and is the largest natural harbour. It has direct access through the Atlantic with a channel surface of 640 miles leading to the complex.

The expansion of 1609 was the pivotal point which led to an increase in incoming traffic for the port. However, the boom started in 1910.

Cargo Handling

The Port of New York and New Jersey handled 7.8 million TEU in 2023, a 4.4% rise from pre-pandemic 2019. It was the second-busiest in the country for loaded imports and exports, carrying 5.3 million loaded TEU throughout the year, and third-busiest in overall TEU.

The facility has a total of 9 terminals with maximum quay lengths of 3087 meters. A total of 6 mega berths have draft restrictions up to 15.2 meters for super container handling.

Network and Layout

The facility is spread across a network of 17 counties with 10 completely under its supervision. Hence, it shares more than 50% of the total North Atlantic TEU movement. The express rail network has more than 400,000 handling tasks on an annual basis for container movement. Meanwhile, smaller vessels amount to 24% of canal and inland movement of bulk goods. A team of over 7000 employees is responsible for year-long handling and terminal operations.

4. Port of Corpus Christi (Texas, USA)

The Port of Corpus Christi stands amongst the few ports in the USA with an energy conservation blueprint. Its establishment dates back to the year 1926, being the major terminal for crude oil and gas.

An average depth of 14 meters allows oil-carrying vessels of all sizes to arrive freely. The facility has 50 hectares of common storage area and is divided into 2 parts for alongside operations. 6 terminals, namely the North, South, Liquid, Bulk, RO-RO, and La Quinta, operate for seagoing traffic. The port also has a 1500 PSI bearing capacity to stand as the strongest among the Gulf ports. A section of the facility also has military units with the US NAVY base since 1997.

Cargo Handling

Port of Corpus Christi set a new mark in annual tonnage in 2023, handling over 200 million tons for the first time in its history. The 203 million tons represented an 8.1 % rise from 2022.

This jump can be attributed to a rise in crude oil exports to 126.1 million tons in 2023, a 12.1% rise compared to 2022. It also saw a 13.5% increase in agricultural commodities to a little over 2.2 million tons. Around 16.3 million tons of LNG moved through the channel as well.

The facility sees more than 6500 vessels of all sizes every year. The grain cargo elevator has 36 concrete silos and an adjacent site for 5,000,000-bushel storage. For dry cargo, the belts handle over 1500 MT of cargo per hour. Meanwhile, the gantries also have a capacity of handling 600 MT per hour.

Network and Layout

The North Terminal Network has rail ramps for direct transfer of ro-ro cargo. Meanwhile, dock 8 on the Southside is the strongest among the open wharf designs. The terminal also has 9300 sq. meters of refrigeration and storage capacity for sensitive cargo handling

5. Port of Beaumont (Texas, USA)

The port of Beaumont has existed since 1908, with primary operations of a military nature. However, timber cargo operations were the first commercial ones at the facility in 1912. This facility covers an area of 150 sq. miles and has an annual revenue of $2.2 billion through commercial shipping. It is one of the few ports in the USA to entertain merchant and defence fleets! Hence, it is also an important base for handling military goods and manufacturing products.

Cargo Handling

The facility is alongside the Sabine-Neches Waterway which is the major route of incoming US oil cargo. The waterway handles 57% of the total petroleum transport along with 14% of gasoline cargo across the country.

It handled over 8 million tonnes in 2023, with petrochemical items and military equipment making up the majority of the cargo. Beaumont is mainly a breakbulk facility that deals with dry and liquid bulk, project cargo and RORO.

The grain elevator has a total capacity of 3.5 million and is the best in its class. Daily loading and discharging operations take place across 12 available berths throughout the day.

Network and Layout

Beaumont Port functions as a hybrid deep draft port with its 8 terminals and 11 berthing facilities, over 100 acres of storage and direct services to three Class I rail carriers.

The port connects with 3 major railway networks, including the Southern and Pacific railways. Hence, more than 1860 employees hold permanent positions for cargo and port operations. The network consists of a large-scale storage space of 600,000 sq feet for all goods.

6. Port of New Orleans (New Orleans, USA)

The Port of New Orleans has been in existence since 1896 to handle vessel traffic across the Mississippi River. It connects a wide network of 14,500 miles of trading waterways to the coast of America. The facility has over $100 million of profit in turnover attributed to its cargo and rail operations.

It is also one of the busiest ports in the USA with an average of 36000 vessel calls every year. Almost 41.6% of these vessels handle the inward and outward movement of dry bulk cargo. The Main Avenue complex is in a built-up area of more than 16,000 sq. m.

Cargo Handling

The facility has two major berths spreading across an area of 2000 feet. This arrangement spreads over an area of 65 acres to handle temporary cargo storage. Moreover, 6 gantries are responsible for container handling operations of all sizes. These terminals also have an on-dock connectivity feature through railway services.

The Port handled 455,926 TEUs in 2023, a 6.53% increase from the previous year.

Network and Layout

An average of 2,000 trucks is responsible for the network handling of internal cargo transport. The facility also provides direct alignment for deep-sea vessels to offload with rail services. The Tier 3 rail network connects with Tier 1 for seamless transport around the clock. This spreads through an internal rail length of 26 miles with inter-nodal services of 75 miles.

7. Port of Long Beach (Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, USA)

Located near the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach handles 80-85 million MT at present. This showed 25% overtaking growth across the last decade. A total of 3.2 km operational region is available for active container operations. Cargo operations in the port started in 1911. At present, it combines with the corridor of Los Angeles port to create the San Pedro Bay.

Cargo Handling

The port facility has a total of 80 operational berths with 10 cargo piers across its expanse. The annual value of cargo from the container business amounted to $56 billion. The Port of Long Beach handled 8,018,668 TEUs in 2023, down by 12.2% compared to 2022.

An average of 50 feet depth is available for container vessels. Meanwhile, the largest vessel to arrive at the terminal had a draft of 20.1 meters. Such facilities place it amongst the few ports in the USA with such high drafts.

Network and Layout

Over 100 miles of railway facility connect the port and its internal network for direct handling. This allows the transport of containers of standard sizes to port alongside each other. More than 50,000 annual jobs come from the in-port work and operations for cargo handling. The green port policy allows an 88% reduction in overall emissions, the second-best in the entire country.

8. Port of Los Angeles ( San Pedro Bay, USA)

This port lies in San Pedro Bay, 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. It is the busiest container facility in North America and ranked as number one in the Western Hemisphere for 25 consecutive years. 

It was founded on December 9, 1907, and is governed by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. It is situated along 43 miles of waterfront, covering 7500 acres and has passenger and cargo terminals. 

Cargo Handling

It is a major generator of employment locally and nationally, with one in nine jobs attributed to the San Pedro Bay Complex which includes Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports. 

2023 was the busiest cruise year on record for the port which saw 1.3 million passengers. It handled 8.6 million TEU, 157,066 units of automobiles, 219 cruise ships and 1712 vessel arrivals in 2023.

The top 5 imports of 2023 were furniture, auto parts, apparel, plastics and electronics while the Top 5 exports included paper, animal feed, soybeans, recycled metal and raw cotton. Major trade partners in 2023 were China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Network and Layout

The port has 25 cargo terminals, including 7 container terminals, 83 ship-to-shore cranes, 1932 pieces of cargo handling equipment, 122 miles of rail, including 5 on-dock railyards and a classification yard. It also has 15 marinas with 3736 recreational vessel slips and dry docks. 

Its container terminals and 6 intermodal rail yards provide direct access to the Alameda Corridor, a 20-mile express railway which links Los Angeles Port to the rail hubs in downtown areas of the city.

9. Port of Baltimore ( Maryland, USA)

This port lies along the Patapsco River in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. In 2023, it ranked as the 9th biggest U.S. Port in terms of international cargo tons. It is known for handling RORO and passenger ships. 

Founded in 1706, the port suffered after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed and blocked access to the port. However, its channel was fully reopened recently on June 10, 2024. 

It has 5 terminal areas including both state-owned and private marine terminals. About 90% of all general cargo moves through the former while the latter handles mostly bulk commodities.

Cargo Handling

The port handled 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo worth $80 billion in 2023. It also handled 11.7 million tonnes of general cargo at the public terminals, 1.1 million TEUs and more than 847,158 auto units.

Major cargo handled included gypsum, sugar, salt, fertilisers, slag, alumina, bitumen, coal, LNG, Ferrous Scrap etc. Top trade partners for the same year were Japan, India, China, Brazil, the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic.

Network and Layout

Port of Baltimore is close to the Baltimore-Washington region, so it can quickly reach dealers and consumers. This direct access to one of the country’s largest consumer markets is an advantage for automotive manufacturers and distributors, allowing swift distribution and sales.

Its connectivity is enhanced by access to major interstates, I-95 and I-70, and on-dock rail service provided by two Class 1 rail carriers, Norfolk Southern and CSX, which offer seamless transportation links to the Midwest and beyond.

10. Port of Virginia (Virginia, USA)

One of the deepest harbours on the U.S East Coast, the Port of Virginia houses the world’s biggest naval base and the largest shipbuilding and repair base. 

It is one of the biggest container ports in the U.S, located around Norfolk Harbour and is known for the export of coal. 

It has 55 public and private terminals, 4 deepwater marine terminals, an upriver facility and an inland intermodal terminal. The port’s 50-foot channel enables massive ships to call at the port.

Cargo Handling

Around 30 shipping lines offer service to and from Virginia with connections to 200-plus countries. Over 40 ships are serviced at the marine terminals in a week. Its top trading partners include Germany, the Netherlands, China and Belgium. 

Its integration with local logistics allows it to reach major markets with ease. In only two days or even less, the cargo reaches Chicago or Comombus through railways and to two-thirds of the U.S population via trucks.

In 2023, the port handled 3.4 million TEU. 

Network and Layout

Its Norfolk International Terminals offer direct, on-dock rail access with the Norfolk Southern, as well as intermodal access. With direct access to Interstate 64 and two on-terminal transfer zones, NIT offers efficiency for motor carriers.

You might also like to read:

• 7 Major Ports in The United Kingdom
• 10 Major Ports in Europe
• 10 Major Ports in France
• 10 Major Ports In India
• 10 Major Ports In China

About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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