Where Your Business Should Thrive!


The United States of America is home to some of the busiest and most advanced sea ports in the world. Due to country's dynamic waterways and rivers contribute significantly to its economy. The ports facilitate the arrival and departure of various forms of cargo such as oil, vehicles, lumber, grains, and other goods, making them a critical point of entry and exit for international trade and commerce. In this blog post, we highlight the top 10 major sea ports that have consistently operated at a high volume of commercial traffic and, as freight forwarders or a logistics expert, you should focus on.

Port of Los Angeles

The Port of Los Angeles is the leading port in the United States, and it serves as a transshipment point for several other ports in the Pacific Rim. It covers 43 kilometers of waterfront, making it the busiest container port in the country, handling over 9 million TEUs annually.

Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach is located next to the Port of Los Angeles and serves the Southern California region. It's the second busiest container port in the country, handling over 8 million TEUs annually. The port's primary activities include the transportation of automotive vehicles, with consumers in California as the primary market.

Port of New York and New Jersey

The Port of New York and New Jersey is the third busiest port in the country in terms of TEUs with over 7 million containers moving through the terminal each year. The port comprises several individual facilities, including Elizabeth Port, Howland Hook Marine Terminal, and Newark Container Terminal.

Port of Savannah

The Port of Savannah is one of the major seaports on the East Coast and serves the Southeastern region of the United States. It covers an area of more than 1,200 acres, and the port saw over 4.6 million TEUs in 2019, making it the fourth-busiest port in the country.

Port of Houston

The Port of Houston is a vital gateway for trade between the United States and Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. It has 210 miles of channels, docks, and industrial real estate - spanning a total of about 25,000 acres. The port also generates around 1.35 million jobs, with an estimated economic impact of $339 billion annually.

Port of Charleston

The Port of Charleston is one of the nation's fastest-growing seaports, with a total of over 2.4 million TEUs of containerized cargo handled each year. The port serves as a critical logistics gateway to Southeastern markets, including Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas.

Port of Norfolk

The Port of Virginia is one of the largest ports on the East Coast. Its infrastructure spans across 26 terminals and 55-foot channels and is capable of accommodating the world's largest container ships. The terminal saw more than 2.7 million TEUs of cargo in 2019, making it the seventh busiest port in the country.

Port of Miami

The main reason for the construction of PortMiami is the existence of the Panama Canal. The port handles over 1.1 million TEUs yearly and is considered Florida's leading seaport due to its location, which makes it a gateway to the Americas and the Caribbean.

Port of Seattle

Located in the Pacific Northwest, the Port of Seattle is the largest container gateway in the Pacific Northwest, serving the Northwestern United States and Alaska. In 2019, the port moved over 3.6 million TEUs of trans-Pacific trade, making it the ninth busiest seaport in the country.

Port of Oakland

Located in Northern California, the port of Oakland links the United States with Asia and Europe. It is one of the largest ports in the US and the third-largest in California, handling over 2.4 million TEUs of cargo in 2019.


As a freight forwarder or logistics expert, understanding the top ten major sea ports in the United States is essential for any business that relies on international trade. This information provides the groundwork for identifying strategic locations to import and export cargo easily. Choose the nearest ports that will ensure fast, efficient, and high-volume cargo handling for your business needs. The top ten sea ports in the United States offer excellent shipping infrastructure, which indeed makes them a vital part of the country's economy.