Top U.S. Ports by Cargo Volume: 2025 Snapshot
With coastlines on the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico—and one of the world’s most expansive inland waterway systems—the United States operates a vast and diverse network of ports. These maritime trade hubs are critical to global supply chains, handling hundreds of millions of tons of cargo annually, from energy and bulk commodities to containerized consumer goods.
This article ranks and profiles the largest U.S. ports by tonnage and throughput, including the Port of Houston, Port of South Louisiana, Port of Los Angeles, and others. We explore their latest 2024–2025 volume data, strategic roles in U.S. trade, and future infrastructure projects shaping America’s port competitiveness.
Whether you’re tracking U.S. bulk exports, container traffic, or energy flows, this breakdown offers a clear look at the ports driving the U.S. economy in 2025 and beyond.
1. Port of Houston (Ship Channel Complex): The Nation’s Busiest Waterway by Tonnage
Key Features:
- Location: Houston, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico coast.
- Annual Throughput: The entire Houston Ship Channel complex is described as the nation’s largest port for waterborne tonnage (2022 data reference). Public terminals handled 53.06 million tonnes (approx. 58.5 million short tons) in 2024. Container volume at public terminals was a record 4.14 million TEUs in 2024.
- Significance:
- The largest port complex in the U.S. by total waterborne tonnage, serving as a major gateway for energy products, petrochemicals, and containerized cargo.
- A vital hub for the oil and gas industry, handling significant volumes of crude oil, refined products, and chemicals.
- The largest Gulf Coast container port.
- Recent Developments: Set record container volumes in 2024 at its public terminals. Expansion projects like Project 11 aim to widen and deepen the Houston Ship Channel to accommodate larger vessels.
2. Port of South Louisiana: A Giant in Bulk and Grain Exports
Key Features:
- Location: Along 54 miles of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- Annual Throughput: 248.1 million short tons (2023).
- Significance:
- The second-largest port in the Western Hemisphere by tonnage and consistently one of the top ports in the U.S. by volume.
- A preeminent grain exporter in the United States.
- Handles vast quantities of grain, soybeans, corn, crude oil, petroleum products, and chemicals.
- Crucial link between the U.S. heartland (via the Mississippi River system) and global markets.
- Recent Developments: Recorded consecutive years of tonnage growth in 2022 and 2023, driven by increases in various bulk cargoes.
3. Port of Corpus Christi: A Leading Energy Export Gateway
Key Features:
- Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico coast.
- Annual Throughput: 206.5 million tons (2024).
- Significance:
- The third-largest port in the United States in total waterborne tonnage (2024).
- A leader in U.S. energy exports, particularly crude oil, refined products, and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
- Experiences significant growth driven by increased U.S. energy production and global demand.
- Recent Developments: Set its seventh consecutive annual tonnage record in 2024. Undergoing a significant channel deepening and widening project to accommodate larger vessels and increase efficiency for energy exports.
4. Port of Long Beach: A Major Trans-Pacific Container Gateway
Key Features:
- Location: Long Beach, California, on the Pacific Coast, adjacent to the Port of Los Angeles.
- Annual Throughput: 200.3 million tonnes (approx. 220.8 million short tons) (2024) | 9.65 million TEUs (2024).
- Significance:
- One of the two largest container ports in the United States and a primary gateway for trans-Pacific trade with Asia.
- A leader in environmental initiatives and sustainable port operations.
- Known for its efficient intermodal connections, particularly rail.
- Recent Developments: Set a new annual record for total cargo tonnage and container throughput in 2024. Investing in infrastructure and technology to enhance capacity, efficiency, and move towards zero-emissions operations, including projects related to offshore wind facilities.
5. Port of Los Angeles: North America’s Busiest Container Port
Key Features:
- Location: San Pedro Bay, California, on the Pacific Coast, adjacent to the Port of Long Beach.
- Annual Throughput: 195.2 million tonnes (approx. 215.2 million short tons) (2024) | 10.3 million TEUs (2024).
- Significance:
- North America’s busiest container port, consistently ranking as the #1 U.S. container port for many years.
- A critical gateway for containerized imports and exports linking the U.S. to Asian markets.
- Handles significant value of trade, supporting a vast supply chain ecosystem.
- Recent Developments: Handled over 10 million TEUs in 2024, marking its second-best year on record by container volume. Investing heavily in freight efficiency upgrades, automation, and transitioning to zero-emissions cargo handling equipment and trucks as part of its clean air action plan.
6. Port of New York & New Jersey: East Coast’s Leading Diverse Gateway
Key Features:
- Location: Mouth of the Hudson River, serving the New York metropolitan area and surrounding region.
- Annual Throughput: 8.7 million TEUs (2024). Total tonnage is substantial and diverse across various cargo types, historically ranking among the top U.S. ports by volume (ranked 4th by tonnage in an AAPA 2018 report).
- Significance:
- The largest port on the U.S. East Coast and a major gateway for containerized cargo, vehicles, bulk cargo, and passengers (cruise).
- Serves one of the most densely populated and economically significant regions in the United States.
- Possesses extensive intermodal connections via rail and highway.
- Recent Developments: Recorded its third-busiest year on record for container volume in 2024. Continues infrastructure upgrades to handle larger vessels and improve cargo flow.
Economic Impact
U.S. ports are indispensable to the national economy:
- They handle over 95% of the nation’s international trade by volume, facilitating the movement of essential goods and raw materials.
- Ports support millions of jobs directly and indirectly across various sectors, including transportation, logistics, manufacturing, and retail.
- They contribute hundreds of billions of dollars annually in economic value added to the national GDP.
- Ports like those on the Gulf Coast are critical for energy security and exports, while major container ports like LA/Long Beach and NY/NJ are vital for consumer goods and manufacturing supply chains.
Future Outlook
- Infrastructure Modernization: Significant federal and local investments are being directed towards upgrading port infrastructure, deepening channels, and improving intermodal connections under initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- Supply Chain Resilience: Lessons learned from recent disruptions are driving investments in port capacity, efficiency, and technology to enhance resilience and fluidity in the supply chain.
- Decarbonization and Sustainability: U.S. ports are increasingly focusing on reducing emissions from port operations, investing in electric and hydrogen-powered equipment, and exploring cleaner fuels for vessels.
- Technological Integration: Continued adoption of automation, AI, IoT, and other digital technologies to optimize terminal operations, improve efficiency, and enhance visibility across the supply chain.
- Capacity Expansion: Major ports are undertaking expansion projects to handle projected growth in cargo volumes and accommodate the trend towards larger vessels.
The ports of the United States, reflecting the nation’s scale and economic diversity, are powerful engines driving global trade. From the massive bulk and energy flows through the Gulf Coast to the high-volume container gateways on the West and East Coasts, these ports are constantly evolving, investing in infrastructure, and adopting technology to meet the demands of the 21st-century global economy and ensure the continued flow of goods for the nation.
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