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Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2
Export and Import Values, Port of Brownsville, 2003-2024 (in billions)
Exhibit 3
Exhibit 4
Share of Exports from Port of Brownsville to Destination Country, 2024
Exhibit 5
Share of Imports to Port of Brownsville by Country of Origin, 2024
Exhibit 6
Port of Entry: BrownsvilleImpact to the Texas Economy, 2024
Texas ports of entry accounted for more than $1 trillion in international trade in 2024. Texas has 32 official ports of entry that serve as critical gateways to global trade. Each port — whether an airport, land port or seaport — serves many domestic and international economic activities across multiple industries. Each port also plays a distinctive role in the state’s transportation network and contributes to state and local economies.
Of Texas’ total international trade, 40.4 percent, or $429.4 billion in goods, traveled across the state’s seaports, with the Port of Brownsville accounting for 5.3 percent of seaport trade, or $22.7 billion. Each seaport facilitates the movement of goods between Texas and other nations. Each Texas seaport is unique, offering different capabilities and many shipping options, including bulk, roll-on/roll-off, container and liquid/gas shipping.
Economic Contribution of Trade
Based on the Comptroller’s estimate, trade through the Port of Brownsville in 2024 resulted in 101,073 jobs and contributed $11.9 billion to Texas’ gross domestic product (GDP) (Exhibit 1).
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Direct trade value (in billions) | $22.7 |
| Gross domestic product (in billions) | $11.9 |
| Total employment | 101,073 |
Notes: “Gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “Total employment” refers to both direct and indirect employment.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online; Regional Economic Models Inc. model for Texas; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts analysis.
Port of Brownsville Trade
The Port of Brownsville is one of 23 seaports along Texas’ 367-mile Gulf Coast. Total trade through the port rose by 116 percent between 2003 and 2024. The port was a net exporter by trade value in 2024, seeing $12.1 billion in exports and $10.6 billion in imports (Exhibit 2).
Data for Exhibit 2
| Year | Exports | Imports | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | $5.13 | $5.36 | $10.49 |
| 2004 | $5.36 | $5.76 | $11.12 |
| 2005 | $5.44 | $6.53 | $11.97 |
| 2006 | $6.14 | $7.33 | $13.47 |
| 2007 | $6.16 | $8.11 | $14.27 |
| 2008 | $5.86 | $8.28 | $14.15 |
| 2009 | $4.43 | $6.50 | $10.93 |
| 2010 | $6.01 | $7.62 | $13.63 |
| 2011 | $6.54 | $8.66 | $15.19 |
| 2012 | $6.71 | $8.69 | $15.40 |
| 2013 | $6.58 | $9.25 | $15.83 |
| 2014 | $8.12 | $10.05 | $18.16 |
| 2015 | $7.53 | $8.75 | $16.27 |
| 2016 | $7.11 | $8.73 | $15.84 |
| 2017 | $7.30 | $9.39 | $16.68 |
| 2018 | $8.42 | $10.52 | $18.94 |
| 2019 | $9.57 | $9.36 | $18.92 |
| 2020 | $8.83 | $8.40 | $17.23 |
| 2021 | $9.79 | $13.05 | $22.84 |
| 2022 | $11.30 | $12.56 | $23.87 |
| 2023 | $10.32 | $13.22 | $23.55 |
| 2024 | $10.56 | $12.10 | $22.66 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
The top export commodities by value from the Port of Brownsville in 2024 were petroleum ($4.5 billion), followed by electric machinery and equipment ($2 billion), and plastic products ($913.2 million). These commodities accounted for 60.1 percent of the port’s total exports. Top imports to the port included electric machinery and equipment ($3.3 billion), machinery and mechanical appliances ($1.4 billion), and vehicle parts ($1.2 billion) (Exhibit 3).
| Commodity | Value (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Petroleum | $4,472.8 |
| Electric Machinery and Equipment | $1,974.7 |
| Plastic Products | $913.2 |
| Vehicle Parts | $802.9 |
| Machinery and Mechanical Appliances | $710.3 |
| Total All Commodities | $12,096.9 |
| Commodity | Import Value (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Electric Machinery and Equipment | $3,318.1 |
| Machinery and Mechanical Appliances | $1,403.6 |
| Vehicle Parts | $1,198.9 |
| Prefabricated Furniture; Light Fixtures | $562.8 |
| Iron and Steel | $522.8 |
| Total All Commodities | $10,561.2 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
The value of exports from the Port of Brownsville to its top five recipient countries was $11.8 billion in 2024, or 97.9 percent of its total. Mexico was the leading destination for exported goods, receiving 93 percent of all exported commodities from the port (Exhibit 4).
Share of Exports from Port of Brownsville to Destination Country, 2024
Data for Exhibit 4
| Country | Exports Value (in billions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $11.2 | 93% |
| Guatemala | $0.2 | 2% |
| Bahamas | $0.2 | 2% |
| Netherlands | $0.1 | 1% |
| Honduras | $0.1 | 1% |
| Other | $0.3 | 2% |
| Total | $12.1 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
Port of Brownsville’s top five import trading partners accounted for 93.6 percent of its $10.6 billion in imports in 2024, with Mexico comprising more than four-fifths of all imports (Exhibit 5).
Share of Imports to Port of Brownsville by Country of Origin, 2024
Data for Exhibit 5
| Country | Imports Value (in billions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $8.8 | 84% |
| Malaysia | $0.4 | 4% |
| South Africa | $0.4 | 3% |
| India | $0.1 | 1% |
| China | $0.1 | 1% |
| Other | $0.7 | 6% |
| Total | $10.6 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
Port of Brownsville – Capital Improvement Projects
The port underwent several capital improvement projects in 2024 with costs of $226.9 million, including the ongoing cost of deepening and widening the port’s shipping channel from 42 feet to 52 feet, which will make it one of the Gulf’s deepest (Exhibit 6).
| Project | Cost (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project | $141.6 |
| Oil Dock No. 3 Construction | $35.0 |
| Rail Access Preservation Program | $16.8 |
| East Ostos Road Paving Improvement Project | $10.0 |
| Fishing Harbor Improvement Project | $10.0 |
| Mobile Harbor Crane | $6.0 |
| Bulk Cargo Dock Engineering Design and Study | $1.5 |
| Liquid Cargo Dock Engineering Design and Study | $1.5 |
| Oil Dock No. 5 Upgrade | $1.5 |
| Cargo Dock 15 Engineering Design and Study | $1.5 |
| Cargo Dock 16 Engineering Design and Study | $1.5 |
| Total | $226.9 |
Source: Port of Brownsville.