Key Highlights
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The ports of the United States help support global trade. They move billions of dollars in cargo every year.
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The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach are the busiest ports in the country. They help most with container traffic on the West Coast.
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Ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, like New York/New Jersey, Savannah, and Houston, play an important part in international trade and the supply chain.
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There have been new projects and spending to increase what the major container terminals can handle all over the country.
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These key ports are very important for the United States. They connect the economy with more markets in North America and other places around the world.
Introduction
Welcome to your guide for the most important ports in the United States for 2026. These busy places play a big part in the nation’s economy. They help connect the United States to many other places around the world. Large container ships come in from Asia, and tankers bring important goods that people need. This is where a lot of things happen. If you want to know how international trade and maritime trade work, it is good to understand what happens at these ports. Let’s look at the gateways that help keep the country’s commerce moving.
Essential Ports of the United States for 2026 Travelers
The United States has many ports along its West Coast, East Coast, and Gulf Coast. These are the main places where goods come in and go out of North America. Each port is important in its own way and does a special job. From California to Georgia, these ports keep changing. There have been new updates and they are getting bigger to deal with more goods each year.
If you want to learn about the big ports that handle containers, or those known for other special goods, this guide will help you. It will show you the key ports of the united states. You will get to see which places on the east coast, west coast, and gulf coast play a big part in the global economy.
1. Port of Los Angeles, California
The Port of Los Angeles is often called “America’s Port.” It is a huge part of international trade and has been the busiest container port in North America for over 20 years. The port handles about 20% of all incoming cargo for the United States. It sits on the West Coast with 43 miles of waterfront and has 25 cargo terminals.
The Port of Los Angeles is very important to the supply chain, especially for trade with Asia. In one recent year, it moved almost 10.7 million TEUs, which shows just how busy and fast it is. The port is now working on becoming greener. Federal grants are helping it use more zero-emission equipment, making things better for the environment.
This port is now ranked as the 17th busiest container port in the world. The Port of Los Angeles is a key part of how cargo comes in and goes out in the country. Its strong infrastructure, including 116 miles of rail, lets goods leave quickly and get where they need to go all over the United States.
2. Port of Long Beach, California
Sitting right next to its well-known neighbor, the Port of Long Beach stands strong on its own. It is the second-busiest port in the united states. The port has a big place in global trade, and people everywhere know it for good and efficient cargo handling. Long Beach is a key hub for trade between the U.S. and Asia. This helps make southern California very important for container traffic.
The Port of Long Beach leads not only in how much cargo it moves but also in how it cares for the environment. The port follows its Green Port Policy, which aims for better and greener work each day. There are 22 shipping terminals, serving 175 shipping lines. These lines connect to 217 seaports all around the world. The mix of what the port brings in and sends out adds up to almost $100 billion every year. This makes it a big force for jobs and money in the area and for north america.
The port has space for over 8.1 million TEUs. Long Beach keeps getting newer and better. One major project, the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, will make its rail capacity three times bigger. This means moving goods across north america will be much easier and faster.
3. Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest and busiest port on the East Coast. It is very important for shipping across the world. The port covers parts of both New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority of NY & NJ looks after it. It is a huge place with about 386 kilometers of shipping channels and many port buildings. This place has a long history and was one of the first to start modern container shipping.
This port helps drive the economy. It takes care of a lot of cargo brought in by ships from other countries, bringing goods into the United States. There are six container terminals at the port. These terminals can take care of nine big ships, each as large as 14,000 TEU, at one time. This shows the port is big and very important. Out of all ships that come to the East Coast, 72 percent make their first stop at this port.
In one recent year, the port handled 7.4 million TEUs. The people in charge keep working on new infrastructure development so the port can be even better. The port’s strategic location means it is close to a lot of people who need goods. That is why it is one of the top ports in the United States for handling international shipments from almost everywhere.
4. Port of Savannah, Georgia
The Port of Savannah is managed by the Georgia Ports Authority. It is one of the fastest-growing ports in the United States. This east coast port is now the fourth busiest port in the country. At the Garden City Terminal, you will find the largest single-terminal container facility in North America. The port handles a lot of container cargo and bulk cargo. It keeps growing each year and is important for trade in the region.
The port of Savannah’s strategic location helps connect the southeast part of the United States to other places. Big companies like IKEA and Target have warehouses close to the port. They use it to make their work faster and better. The port now handles about 4.6 million TEUs each year. There are plans to make this number much bigger by 2026.
Looking ahead, the Jasper Ocean Terminal is coming. This project hopes the port will be the biggest port in the country by 2035. The Georgia Ports Authority is spending on rail lines and other projects, like building the Blue Ridge Connector rail terminal. That will help send goods inland and cut down on truck traffic. All of this makes the Port of Savannah a big part of getting goods to people across both the coast and other areas far away.
5. Port of Houston, Texas
The Port of Houston is a big force on the Gulf Coast. It leads the way in international trade and port logistics. The port is known as the busiest in the country for foreign water shipments. It is also the biggest container port in the Gulf region. The complex is about 50 miles long. There are over 200 public and private terminals, so it is one of the most spread-out major ports in the United States.
The Port of Houston is good in moving many containers, but it is also known all over the world. This is because the port is the home for the country’s biggest petrochemical manufacturing complex. A lot of petroleum and petroleum products pass through the port, so it is very important for the energy business. When you look at total tonnage, the port is often at the top among all American ports. It deals with a high volume of bulk and liquid goods.
This port is important for both the Gulf Coast region and the whole country. It helps support more than 3.2 million jobs. Big projects keep happening, like the Houston Ship Channel Expansion Project. That work will make the port ready for the largest ships now and in the future. The Port of Houston will stay strong as a leader in international trade, petroleum products, and port logistics for many years.
6. Port of Miami, Florida
PortMiami is called the “Cruise Capital of the World,” and it is also one of the fastest-growing cargo gateways in the United States. This ocean terminal is important for international trade, especially with Latin America. It helps a lot with business between different countries on this side of the world. The port’s strong and efficient operations show in how it has handled more than one million TEUs for five years in a row.
PortMiami is not just for cruise passengers. It is also one of the biggest cargo ports in the United States. It helps the local economy grow by more than $43 billion each year and gives jobs to more than 334,500 people in Florida. This makes it stand out, as few ports in the country are strong in both cruise and cargo business.
Every year, about 1.25 million TEUs move through PortMiami. The port keeps putting money into new infrastructure to make its work even better. Its strategic location matters a lot for U.S. coastal shipping. PortMiami is also a key place for goods going in and out of the Caribbean and South America.
7. Port of Seattle, Washington
The Port of Seattle works with the Port of Tacoma as the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) in the Pacific Northwest. This partnership started in 2015. Together, they built one of the biggest container port groups in North America. The alliance is important for trade with countries in the Asia-Pacific. It gives good market access to people who make things and those who grow food.
The NWSA helps the economy by supporting over 58,000 jobs through the work at their marine cargo sites. Seattle and Tacoma together are some of the top cargo gateways in the United States. They handle many things, including container goods and project cargo. They move about 3.74 million TEUs every year.
If you want more information about container ports in the United States, you can use resources from port authorities like the Port of Seattle or from federal groups such as the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. These sources give good data about how much cargo goes through, what the economic effects are, and news about new things at these big maritime hubs.
8. Port of Charleston, South Carolina
The Port of Charleston is a key part of the South Carolina Ports Authority (S.C. Ports) and is one of the most important ports on the east coast. Its strategic location gives it deep water and connects it right to the open ocean. This is why some of the biggest container ships in the world come here. It is also a main link in the supply chain for both the U.S. and other countries. The port helps many factories and warehouses in the southeastern U.S. move their goods.
S.C. Ports, which has the Port of Charleston and other places for loading and sending goods, helps the economy grow in south carolina. In fact, about 10 percent of all jobs in the state are because of the port. People say the port is good at handling work fast and well. Right now, they are working on making it even bigger by building the Leatherman Terminal.
The Port of Charleston handles about 1.9 million TEUs. It is a main spot for moving goods along the U.S. coast and sending things to other countries. By investing in new buildings and tools, the port keeps its spot as a trusted and strong choice for who need to ship goods in and out of the U.S. from global markets.
9. Port of Baltimore, Maryland
The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore sits right on the Chesapeake Bay. It is a busy and strong place for ships and goods. The port deals with many kinds of cargo, but it is best known all over the country for handling “roll-on/roll-off” cargo. This means things like cars and farm equipment that can be driven on and off ships. The port also deals with lots of general cargo and bulk commodities, such as steel and coal.
This port shows how there is a difference between specialized places for cargo and general ones. Many container ports on the east coast work with goods that come in standard boxes. But the Port of Baltimore is great at moving things that do not fit in those boxes, known as non-containerized goods. The Maryland Port Administration is the port authority in charge of running it. There are many port authorities like this around the United States. After the Key Bridge collapsed in 2024, Baltimore showed it could get back to work fast and stay a big part of the supply chain.
Even with that problem, the port moved about 45.9 million tons of cargo in 2024. It can work with a lot of different things, from cars to bulk materials. This makes it a key and special port among all the east coast ports.
10. Port of New Orleans, Louisiana
The Port of New Orleans is very important for trade in America. It sits right on the Mississippi River, which helps connect the whole country to global supply chains. The port stands out as one of the top ports in America. It plays a big part in moving both incoming cargo and items that are set to be shipped out of the country.
The port is strong in moving bulk cargo like steel, rubber, and coffee. One special thing about this port is its strategic location. It makes it easy to move goods from ships to barges, trains, and trucks. This means the port can use many ways to get goods where they need to go.
The Port of New Orleans also does well when it comes to total tonnage. In 2022, it handled over 83 million short tons of cargo. This shows just how much it can move.
The port can handle general cargo. This means it takes care of containers, breakbulk, and heavy-lift items too. Because of these things, it is a key part of the U.S. travel network. The port keeps goods moving in and out of the country, which helps the U.S. and the world economy run strong.
11. Port of Boston, Massachusetts
The Port of Boston is the main place for maritime trade in New England. It has been a key gateway on the East Coast for a long time. The port may not be as big as some other ports in the country, but it has a big role in the local economy. The port deals with all kinds of goods, like container shipments, cars, and things like salt. Conley Terminal is the only container terminal with full service in all of New England.
There has been a lot of new infrastructure development at the Port of Boston. One big project made Boston Harbor deeper through dredging. This let larger container ships, which are now the standard for global shipping, come right in. Because of this, the port of boston stays competitive and can keep up with the demand for goods in this busy part of the country.
The port has different cargo terminals built for special types of goods. This makes the Port of Boston important for coastal shipping in the U.S. and moving things around the region. With its modern facilities and its strategic location, the port helps many businesses in New England reach other countries. It connects the region to markets all over the world.
12. Port of Oakland, California
The Port of Oakland is one of the busiest ports on the West Coast. The port sits in San Francisco Bay, a busy area full of trade. It was one of the first west coast ports to start using containers, and now it is known for fast and efficient cargo handling. The port also stands out for its smart port logistics and strong connections.
The Port of Oakland covers 1,300 acres full of maritime space. It serves a large group of over 14.5 million people in its local market.
Ports in Southern California move more goods each year, but the Port of Oakland is still very busy. It handles more than 99% of all container goods that go through Northern California. The port is also important to California farmers who need a way to send their crops out to buyers in other countries.
The port uses both public and private terminals. Each year, the Port of Oakland takes care of about 2.4 million TEUs. It keeps investing in better buildings and new technology so it can stay a key player in the Pacific trade route. The Port of Oakland makes sure its work stays up to date and easy for people and companies to use.
Conclusion
As you plan for travel in 2026, the ports of the United States have a lot to offer. There is a lot you can see, from the busy Port of Los Angeles to the lovely Port of Charleston. Every stop brings something special for you to enjoy and explore.
When you visit these important ports, your trip gets even better. You get to know many new things and see different cultures in each area. Go ahead and look forward to the journey. If you want good travel tips or help, you can always ask someone. Enjoy your adventure at the ports of the United States!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ports are there in the United States?
The United States has more than 300 busy harbors, based on information from many port authorities. There are a lot of major ports that deal with international trade. The American Association of Port Authorities speaks for over 130 of these important public port authorities across the country.
Which ports are the busiest for container traffic in the U.S.?
The West Coast handles the most container volumes in the U.S. The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest container port in the country. Right next to it, you will find the Port of Long Beach, which also has a high container volume. On the East Coast, the Port of New York and New Jersey is the biggest and the busiest.
What are the top American ports by total tonnage handled each year?
When you look at total tonnage, which means the amount of bulk commodities like oil and grain moved, Gulf Coast ports come out on top. The Port of Houston moves the most in the country by this measure. The Port of South Louisiana is next. Other major ports with high numbers include Corpus Christi and the Port of New Orleans.