8 Major U.S East Coast Ports

The United States, like most countries of the world, depends on international trade to propel its economy and sustain its position as a global power. Given its strategic location, the U.S depends on ships to carry maritime trade with its partners.

About 69% of all goods traded in the United States are transported using waterways, mainly via seagoing cargo vessels. Per Statista, the U.S merchant fleet included 1800 ships in 2022. Globally. The United States operated 2.6% of the world merchant fleet and came 11th behind seafaring countries such as Greece, China and Japan.

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U.S East And West Coast Ports – A Look At Important Figures

The U.S has over 50 ports and harbours, and the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles on the west coast remain the busiest in the nation. However, ports on the East Coast are also gradually climbing the ladder. Per the PMSA West Coast Trade Report of 2022, Gulf and East Coast Ports are catching up with their Western counterparts.

Also, in 2017, the U.S West Coast received over double the cargo from East Asia than the East Coast, i.e. 54.2 million MT versus 21.8 million MT. However, it is worth noting that the east coast ports saw a 2.5 million MT rise from 2016.

The East Coast Ports also witnessed an 8.6% increase in containerised shipments from East Asia in 2017, with the Port of Charleston and Port of Jacksonville emerging as leaders in the region.

Growth of U.S East Coast Ports

Per reports, East Coast Ports have undertaken several investments in the past few years and have handled a rising amount of cargo. They have initiated upgrades to port equipment to handle more containers, deepened the existing berths and even expanded rail terminals to meet the growing demand and remain competitive.

It is conventionally faster to import goods from Asia to the U.S through West Coast Ports, but data of the past decade points out that even some ports on the East Coast could prove economically viable.

China is also a huge market for business opportunities and growth for many ports on the East Coast.

The voyage from China to the U.S increases wholesale costs by 3%, and the ports on the east coast know how to benefit from this.

It takes 29 days for Chinese items to travel from Shanghai to Atlanta from Charleston Port, which exports $2 billion worth of automobiles to Chinese markets every year.

Another game changer has been the 2016 Panama Canal Expansion. The Panama Canal serves 26-liner services on the USEC to Asia route, and so US East Coast Ports are investing heavily to welcome larger ships and greater volumes arriving from the Panama Canal.

Now that we have looked at the progress of the US East Coast Ports in brief, let us know about the major ports on the US East Coast in detail.

1. Port of New York And New Jersey

The Port of New York and New Jersey is nestled between Brooklyn, New Jersey and Manhatten. A principal port on the east coast of the U.S, it handles an array of cargo and all types of ships, ranging from container carriers, RORO, bulk and breakbulk carriers, tankers etc.

A leading container centre in North America, this port has 6 different container terminals. Marine terminals are spread across the harbour, especially along the Brooklyn Waterfront in New York City and along the coast of Newark Bay in New Jersey.

It is also a principal automobile import and export centre. Most of its general cargo terminals are owned and managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Some operations are privatised, and private terminal operators usually lease the terminals from the Port authority to carry out the cargo operations.

This port imports monument stone, ethyl alcohol, vegetables and fruits, fruit juice, motor vehicles, wine, paper and paperboard, coffee, furniture and ceramic flags.

Exports comprise auto parts, worn clothes, waste paper, sawn wood, film plates and sheets, animal feed preps, rough wood, polymers of propylene, antiknock preps etc.

Approximately 7,250 vessels, 85,510,000 tonnes of cargo and 6,251,923 TEU are handled annually at this port.

Per estimates, this port accounts for more than one-third of all North Atlantic trade. In order to tackle rising competition from the other East Coast Ports and handle bigger ships from the recently expanded Panama Canal, the Port of New York and New Jersey deepened its harbour to about 50 feet.

It also recently finished raising the Bayonne Bridge that links NewJersey to Staten Island and is now capable of handling vessels up to 18,000 TEU.

2. Port of Savannah

Savannah Port is home to the biggest single-terminal container area, one of its kind in North America. It includes two deepwater terminals called the Garden City Terminal and the Ocean Terminal.

The Garden City Terminal is the 4th busiest container handling facility in the U.S, covering over 1200 acres and handling millions of tonnes of containerised cargo each year.

The Ocean Terminal is the port’s breakbulk and RORO facility, spanning 201 acres. It also has over 1.4 million square feet of covered storage area.

The natural landlocked harbour 15 nautical miles up the Savannah River from the Atlantic Ocean is operated by the Georgia Ports Authority. Apart from these 2 terminals, there are many private berth operators and a Free Trade Zone.

Savannah Port imports sugar, cement, textiles, ores, steel, machines, petroleum products, forest products, gypsum and exports kaolin clay, vegetable oil and grain oil seed, scrap iron, peanuts, wood pulp, paper and machines used in agriculture.

Approximately 2100 ships, 2,950,000 TEUs and 26,100,000 tonnes of cargo are handled at the Georgia Ports annually.

As a major east coast port, Savannah is undergoing repairs to increase its handling capacity. It is improving its intermodal system to increase its market share of the midwest and make it a preferred choice for many and much more cost-efficient.

3. Port of Virginia

The Port of Virginia has 6 terminals covering 1864 acres that handle cargo from across the globe. The port’s harbour is the deepest such facility on the U.S East Coast, sheltering the largest naval base in the world.

It also boasts a robust shipbuilding and ship repair industry and supports a thriving coal trade and the 6th biggest container cargo complex in the U.S.

The port has 50-foot channels, inbound and outbound, making it the only port on the east coast of the U.S with authorisation from Congress to dredge to 55 feet, going ahead with Norfolk Harbor Dredging Project to attain a depth of 55 ft, enabling it to retain the deepest channel on the east coast.

In a time when container ships are becoming larger and larger, the availability of deepwater and the no overhead restrictions is a crucial competitive benefit.

Virginia is an important port, with around 30 international shipping lines offering direct services to and from Virginia with connections to more than 200 nations. In a week, over 40 international vessels like container carriers, RORO, and breakbulk vessels are handled at the port’s specialised terminals.

The Port of Virginia is also making intermodal investments, especially expanding its rail and motor transportation to reach wider markets and allow easy access to the facility.

4. Port of Charleston

Charleston Port lies in South Carolina in the southeastern U.S, spanning municipalities of Charleston, Mount Pleasant and North Charleston.

The port has 6 public terminals which deal with containers, rolling stock, general cargo, project cargo and motor vehicles. The port also has a cruise terminal and additional privately owned facilities handling coal, steel, and petroleum.

Port of Charleston — Representation Image

In 2020, Charleston Port ranked 6th in the US in terms of cargo value, attaining more than
$72 billion in imports and exports. In 2021, Charleston Port handled 2.85 million TEUs.

The Union Pier Terminal handles forest products, metals, breakbulk and cruise ship operations. The Columbus Street Terminal handles project cargo, RORO and breakbulk.

The Wando Welch Terminals handles container ships; the Veterans Terminal handles mainly bulk cargo, RORO and project cargo; the North Charleston Terminal and the recently opened Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal also handles container cargo.

5. Port of Boston

Boston Port lies in Boston Harbour and is the biggest port in Massachusetts. It is also an important facility on the east coast of the U.S.

It has been historically at the forefront of the growth of Boston City and was earlier situated in what is today the city’s downtown area, the Long Wharf. It is endowed with 8 berths for sea-going ships and 6 riverside berths. It handles steel, bulk, palletised and general cargo, paper, forest products, containers, etc. Around 600 ships and 700,100 tonnes of cargo are handled at the port annually.

Before America was colonised, the region was a trading post for Native Americans. Soon, the Boston settlement was established by John Winthrop in the 1600s, and a shipbuilding industry began to take shape. In that period, commodities of trade were lumber, constructed vessels, salted fish and rum.

The Port of Boston is also home to the Flynn Cruiseport, a cruise terminal operating since 1986, running from April to November with cruise ships destined for Bermuda, Panama, San Diego, Europe and Canada.

The Conley Terminal handles containerised cargo at the Boston Port. It has been operating since the Second World War and was known as the Castle Island Terminal during that time.

Boston Autoport is a specialised facility dedicated mainly to the processing and shipping of automobiles. The port’s fish pier is the oldest operating fish pier in the U.S, housing companies processing and transporting seafood.

6. Port of Jacksonville

Jacksonville Port is located in northeast Florida on the St.John’s River, some 24 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean. It has 4 facilities along the river banks. The Blount Island Marine Terminal and the Ed Austin Terminal handle container cargo. The other two include the Talleyrand Docks and Terminals and the Commodore Point Terminal. The port also handles vehicles, bulk, RORO and general cargo.

Jacksonville is the biggest port in terms of volume in Florida and the 14th biggest container port in the U.S. It dealt with 1,338,000 containers and is the 2nd largest port handling vehicles in the U.S with 695,500 units handled in 2019.

It exports paper products, fertilisers, chemicals, naval stores, scrap metal, feeding stuff, general cargo and phosphate rock. Jacksonville Port imports coffee, steel products, iron, pulpwood, cement, lumber, limestone, and alcoholic drinks.

Approximately 1800 ships, 8,309 tonnes of cargo, 710 000 TEU and 130,000 passengers are handled annually at this port.

7. Port of Portland

Located in Portland, Maine, this is the second biggest seaport in New England in terms of tonnage and also one of the biggest oil ports on the East Coast. It is also the main port of call for Icelandic Shipping Company Eimskip.

This well-protected port remains open all year and has ample space for massive ships. It handles paper, scrap metal, salt, containers, coal, petroleum products, wood pulp etc. Portland Port handles 22,000,000 tonnes of cargo annually.

Portland has 9 terminals and 2 passenger facilities, the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal and the Ocean Gateway International Marine Passenger Terminal. However, most of its commercial terminals handle petroleum products.

It is also a popular cruise destination, and 100 cruise ships docked in Portland in 2019, making it Maine’s second-biggest cruise ship Port.

8. Port of Baltimore

Baltimore Port lies close to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, the eastern part of the U.S, on the Patapsco River, making it one of the busiest ports and industrial centres in the region. Along its 72 km long shoreline lies 5 public and 12 private terminals, handling general merchandise, dry and liquid bulk commodities, containerised cargo, etc. The port handles 37,850,000 tonnes of cargo, 632,000 TEU and 252,000 passengers annually.

The Port of Maryland has the deepest harbour in Chesapeake Bay. It is also closer to the Midwest than any other East Coast Port and also just an overnight drive of one-third of the country’s population.

Port of Baltimore — Representation Image

After the Panama Canal’s expansion, it has been receiving larger cargo ships, often from the Far East. Its 15.2 m shipping channel and two, 50-foot container berths enable it to accommodate two of the biggest container ships simultaneously.

In 2022, it ranked 1st in the country in handling light trucks, construction machinery, automobiles and imported gypsum. It ranked 2nd for exporting coal and 6th for importing coffee.

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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.