The United States of America is one of the largest economies in the world and a trading hotspot for importers and exporters. Moreover, the country has been able to expand its economy with the world’s ruling industrial sector.
If you are looking to trade with one of the leading markets in the world, then the first thing you require is the global trade data. It helps exporters and importers understand their product’s potential in a market, avoid markets that promise losses, etc.
The following article focuses on the top trading ports in the USA along with their most significant shipments.
Major Trading Ports In The United States
Before diving into the list of major trading ports in the United States, let us know about TEU. TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent. This unit describes the capacity of container ships and container terminals. The containers are usually 20 feet long, making it easier for the boxes to be easily transported via trains, boats, and trucks.
Here’s the list of significant trading sports of the United States:
- Port Of Los Angeles
This port is situated on San Pedro Bay in Los Angeles. The port is 7,200 acres large, with water along 43 miles of coastline.
In 2019, the container volume of the port of Los Angeles was 9.3 million TEUs. The port of Los Angeles is the busiest port in the USA regarding most cargo and container volume that the port transported. It also ranked first by the value of shipments passing through the port.
The port’s top exports were pet and animal feed, waste paper, scrap metal, and soybeans. The principal imports were automobile parts, apparel, furniture, footwear, and electronics.
- Port Of Long Beach
The Long Beach port occupies an area of 3,200 acres and 25 miles of coastline. This port is located in the city of Long Beach. It is one of the biggest ports in the country.
This port is responsible for one-fourth of the total container trade taking place in North America. According to the trade data, a total of 7.63 million TEUs was loaded and unloaded in the port.
The port’s top exports were cotton, nuts, Bovine cuts, boneless, frozen, medium-sized cars, and food preparation needs. The leading imports were petroleum, tricycles, pedal cars and scooters, data processing machines like weighing machines, textile, and communication apparatus.
- Port Of New York And New Jersey
The port of New York and New Jersey is situated in the New York-Newark metropolitan area. The port covers an approximate 25-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty and 650 miles of coastline around the city and northeast New Jersey.
This port is one of the largest harbors in the country and the third-busiest port in the United States. Based on global trade data, this global trading hotspot witnessed a trade of 7.41 million TEUs in the year 2019.
The port’s top imports were beverages and vehicles, with the chief exports being wood.
- Port Of Savannah
The Savannah port is one of the major ports of the United States and is located in Savannah, Georgia. It is approx 18 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, covering both sides of the Savannah River, and is the fastest-growing port in North America.
The Port of Savannah has two deepwater terminals and constitutes the largest single-terminal container facility in the western hemisphere. As observed in trade statistics by country, the port handled a total of 4.43 million TEUs in 2019.
The port’s top imports were furniture, machinery, retail consumer goods, electronics, and appliances. The chief exports were paper and paperboard, wood pulp, clay, and food.
- Port Of Houston
The Post of Houston is located in the fourth largest city in the United States, Houston, Texas. This port is 50 miles long.
Previously, the terminals of the port were primarily within the city of Houston. However, it gradually diversified, and to date, it has widened in many surrounding areas. As per the trade data, by 2019, the number of TEUs handled by the port was increased by 10.6% to 2.96 million.
The port’s top imports were petroleum products, machinery, and steel. The principal exports were oil and gas.
Import Vs. Exports In The United States
The main exports of the country consist of fuel, cars, aircraft, and automobile parts. The export data depicts the prosperous economy of the country. However, apart from machinery, the government also exports pharmaceuticals and soybeans, which fall under the top 10 exports of the USA.
It is said that a country should have more export worth as compared to import worth. But, ironically, the USA’s imports are more than its exports.
According to trade statistics by country, in 2017, the total imports were worth $2.90 trillion, whereas imports were $2.35 trillion. However, the main imports consisted of electronic equipment, which totaled more than $386 billion, followed by machinery & engines ($367 billion) and vehicles ($306 billion).