The volume of containers handled at ports in the United States (U.S.) increased between 2000 and 2020. In 2020, nearly 55 million TEUs of containers were processed at U.S. ports, a slight decrease of one percent compared with 2019.

United States US: Container Port Traffic: TEU (20 Foot Equivalent Units) data was reported at 51,425,466.000 TEU in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 50,181,793.500 TEU for 2016. United States US: Container Port Traffic: TEU (20 Foot Equivalent Units) data is updated yearly, averaging 42,234,885.026 TEU from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51,425,466.000 TEU in 2017 and a record low of 27,307,576.000 TEU in 2001. United States US: Container Port Traffic: TEU (20 Foot Equivalent Units) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Transportation. Port container traffic measures the flow of containers from land to sea transport modes., and vice versa, in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a standard-size container. Data refer to coastal shipping as well as international journeys. Transshipment traffic is counted as two lifts at the intermediate port (once to off-load and again as an outbound lift) and includes empty units.; ; UNCTAD (http://unctad.org/en/Pages/statistics.aspx); Sum;

Key information about United States Container Port Throughput

• United States Container Port Throughput was reported at 62,214,119.000 TEU in Dec 2022
• This records an increase from the previous number of 62,161,482.000 TEU for Dec 2021. US Container Port Throughput data is updated yearly, averaging 47,684,805.000 TEU from Dec 2008 to 2022, with 15 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 62,214,119.000 TEU in 2022 and a record low of 37,353,574.903 TEU in 2009
• US Container Port Throughput data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Shipping and Port Sector – Table RP.UNCTAD.CPT: Container Port Throughput (CPT)

In 2021, the port of Colón, Panama, handled the highest volume of cargo containers in Latin America and the Caribbean, at approximately 4.92 million TEUs. The port of Santos, in Brazil, followed with 4.44 million TEUs of cargo. Meanwhile, on the Pacific-side of the Panama Canal, Balboa also ranked amongst the top five Latin American ports that year.A new era of maritime tradeIn 1914, the opening of the Panama Canal revolutionised international trade. Together with the Suez Canal, this artificial waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans became one of the most vital in the world, significantly cutting down travel distances. As a result, more than 13 thousand transits are conducted annually through the canal, with transport between the U.S. East Coast and Asia ranking as the leading trading route intermediated by it, based on volume . In turn, in 2020, the Panama Canal generated a toll revenue of 2.66 billion U.S. dollars for the Central American nation, an increase from 2019 despite the slowdown in global trade amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Water transport on the rise Maritime shipping plays a crucial role in how products and goods are transported worldwide. While other means of transport such as air and rail may offer faster delivery times, ocean freight presents a significant cost and capacity advantage, with its competitiveness rising along with the load capacity of ships. Between 2009 and 2019, the volume of seaborne transported goods rose by over 40 percent, surpassing 11 billion tons of cargo in the latter year. Following that same trend, Latin American container ports handled 54.1 million TEUs of cargo in 2019, an increase of nearly 15 percent in comparison to 2014.

The Port of Houston was the largest port in the United States in terms of cargo handled in 2020, processing almost 276 million short tons of seaborne cargo. The Port of South Louisiana, ranking second, processed about 225 million short tons of cargo that year.

Forecast: Container Port Traffic in North America 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Contains physical information on commercial facilities at the principal U.S. Coastal, Great Lakes and Inland Ports. The data consists of listings of port area's waterfront facilities, including information on berthing, cranes, transit sheds, grain elevators, marine repair plants, fleeting areas, and docking and storage facilities. Collection of data is performed on a rotational basis to ensure on-site accuracy at each facility.

© The National Waterway Network was created on behalf of the Office of the Asistant Secretary for Research and Technology's Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Census, and the U.S. Coast Guard by Vanderbilt University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Additional agencies with input into network development include Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Maritime Administration, Military Traffic Management Command, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Railroad Administration. This layer is sourced from maps.bts.dot.gov.

The Navigation Data Center had several objectives in developing the U.S. Waterway Data. These objectives support the concept of a National Spatial Data Provide public access to national waterway data. Foster interagency and intra-agency cooperation through data sharing. Provide a mechanism to integrate waterway data (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Port/Facility and U.S. Coast Guard Accident Data, for example) Provide a basis for intermodal analysis. Assist standardization of waterway entity definitions (Ports/Facilities, Locks, etc.). Provide public access to the National Waterway Network, which can be used as a basemap to support graphical overlays and analysis with other spatial data (waterway and modal network/facility databases, for example). Provide reliable data to support future waterway and intermodal applications.

© The National Waterway Network was created on behalf of the Office of the Asistant Secretary for Research and Technology's Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Census, and the U.S. Coast Guard by Vanderbilt University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Additional agencies with input into network development include Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Maritime Administration, Military Traffic Management Command, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Railroad Administration.

The Port of South Louisiana was the largest port in the United States in terms of dry bulk handled in 2020, processing almost 146.8 million short tons of seaborne dry bulk. The Port of New Orleans, ranking second, processed some 45.6 million short tons of dry bulk that year.

The average for 2022 based on 15 countries was 3.47 million containers. The highest value was in Brazil: 11.68 million containers and the lowest value was in Nicaragua: 0.15 million containers. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This dataset provides values for CONTAINER PORT TRAFFIC TEU 20 FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS WB DATA.HTML reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

During 2020, the port area in the Caribbean cost of Panama (which includes the Panamanian ports of Colón, Cristóbal and Manzanillo) experienced an increase in the container traffic of around 1.7 percent, in comparison to the traffic reported during the same period a year earlier. On the contrary, the container traffic in the Mexican port of Manzanillo decreased by 5.2 percent during the same period.

United Kingdom Ports Traffic: Deep Sea: ow: North America data was reported at 303.892 Unit th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 309.470 Unit th for 2016. United Kingdom Ports Traffic: Deep Sea: ow: North America data is updated yearly, averaging 415.500 Unit th from Dec 1988 (Median) to 2017, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 681.000 Unit th in 1999 and a record low of 276.474 Unit th in 2013. United Kingdom Ports Traffic: Deep Sea: ow: North America data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department for Transport. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.TA010: Port Statistics: Port Traffic.

The average for 2022 based on 8 countries was 3.59 million containers. The highest value was in Brazil: 11.68 million containers and the lowest value was in Suriname: 0.1 million containers. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Container port traffic (TEU: 20 foot equivalent units) in North America was reported at 67723892 in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North America - Container port traffic (TEU: 20 foot equivalent units) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

The Border Crossing Entry Data, provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), offers summary statistics on inbound crossings at U.S. land ports along the 🇨🇦 Canada-U.S. and 🇲🇽 Mexico-U.S. borders. The dataset includes counts for 🚛 trucks, 🚂 trains, 📦 containers, 🚌 buses, 🚗 personal vehicles, 🧍 passengers, and 🚶 pedestrians entering the United States.

📊 Data Collection & Coverage 🔹 Originator: 🛂 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 🔹 Scope: Captures the number of vehicles, containers, passengers, or pedestrians entering the U.S. 🔹 Limitations:

🚫 CBP does not collect data on outbound crossings. 🔍 Users seeking outbound data should refer to bridge operators, border state governments, or the Mexican and Canadian governments. 🔹 Level of Reporting: Data is reported at the 📍 port level, aggregating multiple entry points within each port. 🔓 Access & Use ✅ Public Availability: This dataset is open for public access and use. 📝 License: No license information was provided. However, if created by a U.S. government officer or employee, it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

🔗 Source & More Information: 📂 Data.gov - Border Crossing Entry Data

USA container ports 2000-2017

US Dept. of Transportation Maritime Administration US Waterborne Foreign Container Trade by US customs ports 2000-2017

Imports are in Metric Tons (Loaded containers only)

The ports are politically defined by port limits or Corps projects, excluding non-Corps projects not authorized for publication. The determination for the published Principal Ports is based upon the total tonnage for the port for the particular year; therefore the top 150 list can vary from year to year.

© U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Navigation Data Center, Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center, New Orleans, LA. This layer is sourced from maps.bts.dot.gov.

The ports are politically defined by port limits or Corps projects, excluding non-Corps projects not authorized for publication. The determination for the published Principal Ports is based upon the total tonnage for the port for the particular year; therefore the top 150 list can vary from year to year.

© The National Waterway Network was created on behalf of the Office of the Asistant Secretary for Research and Technology's Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Census, and the U.S. Coast Guard by Vanderbilt University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Additional agencies with input into network development include Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Maritime Administration, Military Traffic Management Command, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Railroad Administration.

United States Port Congestion: Number of Vessels: Loop: All data was reported at 2.000 Unit in 05 May 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.000 Unit for 28 Apr 2025. United States Port Congestion: Number of Vessels: Loop: All data is updated weekly, averaging 2.000 Unit from Feb 2022 (Median) to 05 May 2025, with 143 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.000 Unit in 24 Jun 2024 and a record low of 1.000 Unit in 28 Apr 2025. United States Port Congestion: Number of Vessels: Loop: All data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Marine Traffic. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.MT.PCN: Port Congestion: Number of Vessels: by Port and Vessel Type.

Port Congestion: Calls: Boston: Container Ships data was reported at 3.000 Unit in 05 May 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.000 Unit for 28 Apr 2025. Port Congestion: Calls: Boston: Container Ships data is updated weekly, averaging 4.000 Unit from Feb 2022 (Median) to 05 May 2025, with 164 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.000 Unit in 14 Apr 2025 and a record low of 1.000 Unit in 03 Mar 2025. Port Congestion: Calls: Boston: Container Ships data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Marine Traffic. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.MT.PCN: Port Congestion: Calls: by Port and Vessel Type.