With the U.S. accounting for more than 26% of the world's total consumption, it's no surprise that the maritime industry is critical to its economy. That said, some of the largest and busiest ports in the world originate from their coastal regions. If you're considering importing, exporting to or importing from the US, in addition to checking container shipping rates, I suggest you do some research on the major US ports. In this article, we'll take a more detailed look at the top 10 US ports.
1. Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles is located in San Pedro Bay, California, in the western United States. Given its strategic location, it's no wonder it is responsible for much of the trans-Pacific trade. Also known as Port of America, it covers 7,500 acres and has 43 miles of waterfront. Currently, it is the 19th busiest port in the world in terms of container volume. It is estimated that approximately $1.2 billion in cargo is shipped to and from the Port of Los Angeles every day.
2. Port of Long Beach
Next to the Port of Los Angeles is its sister port, the Port of Long Beach. Together with the Port of Los Angeles, they are responsible for more than a quarter of the total North American container trade. The Port of Long Beach is worth $180 billion in annual trade activity. Container shipping to and from Long Beach is very popular as it is considered one of the main gateways for trade with Asia.
3. Ports of New York and New Jersey
On the East Coast, the Port of New York and New Jersey are the top ports. It is the largest and busiest port on the East Coast of the United States and the third largest port in the United States. It offers access to one of the most concentrated consumer markets in the world.
4. Georgia Port
The main ports of the Port of Georgia are the Port of Savannah and the Port of Brunswick. The Port of Savannah has the largest single-dock container facility in North America and the largest concentration of import distribution centers on USEC. The Port of Brunswick is considered the port of choice for new car imports, with over 500 acres leased or owned by the automotive industry.
5. Port of Seattle-Tacoma
Washington State's two major ports merged in 2015 to jointly operate their cargo terminals. The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are jointly operated by the Northwest Seaport Alliance. The two ports combined accounted for 5.3% of the North American market in 2015, handling more than 2.1 million TEUs. As container traffic to the ports of Seattle and Tacoma increased in April 2017, both ports recorded their strongest international container traffic in the first quarter since 2005.
