This is a list of ports of the United States, ranked by tonnage. Ports in the United States handle a wide variety of goods that are critical to the global economy, including petroleum, liquefied natural gas (LNG), grain, steel, automobiles, and containerized goods. The U.S. port system comprises over 300 commercially active harbors that collectively handle approximately 1.87 billion short tons annually across the top 25 ports alone.
The U.S. maritime port system has undergone significant transformation in the 2024-2025 period, characterized by strategic realignment following supply chain disruptions of the early 2020s. The Gulf Coast ports have strengthened their dominance in total tonnage, driven by the United States' position as the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas and a major crude oil supplier. Meanwhile, West Coast container ports have experienced strong recovery in volumes after labor stability was achieved.
Due to the extensive data collection and verification process required across hundreds of ports and thousands of terminals, official consolidated statistics are typically published 18-24 months after the reporting year. The most recent comprehensive official data is from 2022, published in July 2024. Where available and officially released, preliminary 2023-2024 data from individual port authorities has been incorporated and clearly noted in the table below.
Recent developments (2024-2025)
Port of Long Beach, second-busiest U.S. container port
On October 1-3, 2024, over 47,000 members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) participated in a strike at 36 ports along the East Coast and Gulf Coast—the first ILA strike since 1977. The work stoppage affected container, breakbulk, and Ro/Ro operations from Maine to Texas, impacting facilities that collectively handle approximately half of the nation's containerized imports. Economic analysts estimated the strike cost between $3.8 billion and $5 billion per day in economic disruption.[2]
After three days, a tentative agreement was reached to extend negotiations to January 15, 2025. The eventual six-year master contract, ratified in January 2025 with nearly 99% approval, included a 77% wage increase over the contract period and a complete ban on automation until 2030.[3] This labor agreement fundamentally shapes the operational trajectory of U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports, mandating reliance on human-operated equipment while Asian and European competitors increasingly deploy fully automated terminals.
On March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by the container ship MV Dali, severing the main shipping channel to the Port of Baltimore. The catastrophic failure blocked deep-draft vessel access for 11 weeks, disrupting a port that is the nation's premier gateway for Ro/Ro cargo (automobiles and farm equipment) and a major coal export hub. The closure impacted over 8,000 jobs directly associated with port operations and generated an estimated $15 million in daily economic losses.[4]
Despite the extended disruption, the Port of Baltimore demonstrated remarkable resilience. Automotive manufacturers diverted shipments to alternative gateways including Brunswick, Georgia, and the Port of New York and New Jersey. The channel fully reopened in June 2024, and by year-end the port had handled 45.9 million tons—demonstrating rapid recovery despite the 11-week closure.[5]
Panama Canal drought restrictions
Prolonged drought in 2024 reduced water levels in Gatun Lake, the primary water source for Panama Canal operations, to historic lows. The resulting restrictions cut canal transit capacity by up to 40%, forcing shippers to seek alternative routing strategies.[6] Many cargo owners shifted to all-water routes via the Suez Canal or increased reliance on U.S. West Coast ports, particularly Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Pacific Northwest gateways. East Coast ports including Savannah also benefited from diversions that would have otherwise transited the canal.
Infrastructure investments
Major port infrastructure projects completed or advanced significantly in 2024-2025:
Channel deepening projects:
Port of Corpus Christi: Completed the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project in early 2025, deepening the channel to 54 feet Mean Lower Low Water and widening to 530 feet. This $625 million project enables full loading of Suezmax crude oil tankers, providing an estimated $200 million in annual transportation cost savings.[7]
Port of Virginia: Near completion of deepening to 55 feet—the deepest commercial channel on the East Coast—with a width of 800 feet enabling two-way traffic of ultra-large container vessels. This provides Virginia with a significant competitive advantage for post-Panamax vessel calls.[8]
Port of Mobile: Completed the fourth phase of container terminal expansion in October 2024, doubling annual container capacity to 1 million TEUs and positioning Mobile to compete more aggressively with established Gulf Coast container ports.[9]
Terminal and rail infrastructure:
Port of Houston: Project 11 channel widening continues, expanding the Houston Ship Channel to 700 feet along its Galveston Bay reach to ensure safe two-way traffic for Neo-Panamax vessels. The Houston Ship Channel supports 3.37 million jobs nationwide and generates $906 billion in annual economic value.[10]
Port of Savannah: Construction underway on the Blue Ridge Connector, an inland rail terminal in Northeast Georgia slated for opening in 2026. This facility is projected to eliminate 52,000 truck trips through metropolitan Atlanta annually while extending Savannah's hinterland reach deeper into the Midwest.[11]
Port of Long Beach: The $365 million Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility continues construction through 2028, designed to triple on-dock rail capacity and enable trains up to 10,000 feet in length.[12]
Federal funding: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides $2.25 billion through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) from 2022-2026. For Fiscal Year 2025, $500 million was allocated for port infrastructure improvements, focusing on capacity expansion, resilience, and sustainability. Notable 2024 PIDP awards include nearly $50 million to the Georgia Ports Authority for the Garden City Terminal Power Resiliency Project.[13]
Environmental and sustainability initiatives
Federal investments accelerated port decarbonization efforts in 2024:
The Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Ports Program awarded over $3 billion in grants in 2024 to support zero-emission cargo handling equipment and shore power installations.[14]
The Port of Los Angeles received $412 million for transitioning to zero-emission equipment, including electric cargo handling machinery and hydrogen fuel cell applications.[15]
Seven California ports collectively received over $1 billion to transition to zero-emission operations, representing the largest single federal investment in port sustainability to date.[16]
The Port of Virginia transitioned to 100% clean electricity in January 2024, becoming the first major East Coast port to achieve this milestone.[8]
Top 50 U.S. ports by tonnage
The table below presents official cargo tonnage rankings based on waterborne commerce data. Rankings 1-10 include updated 2023-2024 figures where officially released by port authorities; rankings 11-50 rely on the most recent consolidated USACE dataset (2022). This mixed-year approach reflects the reality of federal data publication timelines while incorporating the most current information available for major ports.
The Port of Houston maintains its position as the nation's largest port, handling 309.5 million short tons in 2023 and widening its lead over the second-ranked port. The Port of Lake Charles ranks at number 10 nationally.
Note: This table combines official 2022 USACE consolidated data (the most recent complete federal dataset) with preliminary 2023-2024 figures officially released by individual port authorities where available. Detailed breakdowns (Domestic/Foreign/Imports/Exports) are shown for 2022 USACE data; 2023-2024 preliminary data includes total tonnage only. Official federal consolidation of 2023-2024 data is expected in mid-2026.
Container terminal operations at a major U.S. port
Container port rankings are based on twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), measuring standardized container volumes. The U.S. container port system experienced strong growth in 2024, with volumes rebounding after labor uncertainties and supply chain disruptions of previous years.
Top 10 container ports by TEU (2024)
Container volume at major U.S. ports, 2024 (TEUs)[23]
Note: 2024 figures are preliminary estimates from port authorities and have not been officially consolidated by federal agencies. Final certified data typically becomes available 18-24 months after the reporting year.
Non-continental islands
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