Gulf Trade: Top Carriers and Ports
Special Report
Journal of Commerce Top US Gulf Coast Ports by Imports
Containerized US imports, 2025 vs. 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in laden TEUs
Imports |
|
Percent Change |
|
|
Market |
|
|
|
|
|
From |
From |
From |
From |
Rank |
Port |
Share |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
1 Houston, Texas 71.9 % 1,623,055 1,894,746 1,746,390 1,905,954 1,934,011 19.2 % 2.1 % 10.7 % 1.5 %
2 Mobile, Ala. 9.7 % 260,034 283,498 285,301 293,570 259,661-0.1 %-8.4 %-9.0 %-11.6 %
3 Tampa, Fla. 5.0 % 81,804 91,705 112,059 131,063 134,028 63.8 % 46.2 % 19.6 % 2.3 %
4 New Orleans, La. 4.6 % 127,544 117,416 114,916 119,565 122,809-3.7 % 4.6 % 6.9 % 2.7 %
5 Freeport, Texas 3.3 % 35,120 41,511 43,950 67,310 89,363 154.5 % 115.3 % 103.3 % 32.8 %
6 Gulfport, Miss. 3.1 % 86,249 94,234 85,016 84,497 83,817-2.8 %-11.1 %-1.4 %-0.8 %
7 Manatee, Fla. 1.9 % 71,745 85,982 82,711 76,160 51,960-27.6 %-39.6 %-37.2 %-31.8 %
8 Panama City, Fla. 0.5 % 26,240 25,629 15,665 13,007 13,480-48.6 %-47.4 %-13.9 % 3.6 %
TOTAL TOP US GULF COAST |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PORTS BY IMPORTS |
2,311,790 |
2,634,721 |
2,486,009 |
2,691,126 |
2,689,128 |
16.3 % |
2.1 % |
8.2 % |
-0.1 % |
TOTAL US GULF COAST IMPORTS 2,332,049 2,654,184 2,503,159 2,701,213 2,690,415 15.4 % 1.4 % 7.5 %-0.4 %
Source: S & P Global © 2026 S & P Global
Journal of Commerce Top US Gulf Coast Ports by Exports
Containerized US exports, 2025 vs. 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in laden TEUs
Exports |
|
Percent Change |
|
|
Market |
|
|
|
|
|
From |
From |
From |
From |
Rank |
Port |
Share |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
1 Houston, Texas 77.9 % 1,010,429 1,198,306 1,342,885 1,427,154 1,605,033 58.8 % 33.9 % 19.5 % 12.5 %
2 New Orleans, La. 12.3 % 243,128 226,087 232,601 237,536 252,811 4.0 % 11.8 % 8.7 % 6.4 %
3 Mobile, Ala. 5.7 % 149,669 143,365 159,856 159,148 116,766-22.0 %-18.6 %-27.0 %-26.6 %
4 Gulfport, Miss. 2.1 % 51,478 57,739 44,539 51,491 44,200-14.1 %-23.4 %-0.8 %-14.2 %
5 Tampa, Fla. 0.9 % 15,617 14,998 19,093 19,705 18,455 18.2 % 23.1 %-3.3 %-6.3 %
6 Freeport, Texas 0.5 % 23,195 19,115 17,406 13,115 10,858-53.2 %-43.2 %-37.6 %-17.2 %
7 Manatee, Fla. 0.3 % 1,361 8,445 12,565 6,398 6,724 394.1 %-20.4 %-46.5 % 5.1 %
8 Panama City, Fla. 0.3 % 6,497 6,330 2,105 5,377 6,017-7.4 %-5.0 % 185.9 % 11.9 %
TOTAL TOP US GULF COAST |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PORTS BY EXPORTS |
1,501,374 |
1,674,385 |
1,831,049 |
1,919,924 |
2,060,863 |
37.3 % |
23.1 % |
12.6 % |
7.3 % |
TOTAL US GULF COAST EXPORTS 1,510,228 1,681,489 1,840,553 1,922,812 2,060,981 36.5 % 22.6 % 12.0 % 7.2 %
Source: S & P Global © 2026 S & P Global
34 Journal of Commerce | April 6, 2026 www. joc. com