Texas ports of entry accounted for more than $1 trillion in international trade in 2024.1 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, traveled across the state’s seaports, with Port Houston accounting for 52 percent of seaport trade, or $223.5 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.
Based on the Comptroller’s estimate, trade through Port Houston in 2024 affected 1.3 million net jobs and contributed $171 billion to Texas’ gross domestic product (GDP) (Exhibit 1).2
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Total direct trade value | $223.5 billion |
| Gross domestic product | $171.1 billion |
| Total employment | 1,319,413 |
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 Houston is one of 23 seaports along Texas’ 367-mile Gulf Coast. Total trade through Port Houston was $223.5 billion in 2024, up 42 percent from 2019 levels. Port Houston was a net exporter by trade value in 2024, seeing $129.9 billion in exports and $93.7 billion in imports (Exhibit 2).
| Year | Imports | Exports | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | $22.6 | $27.3 | $49.9 |
| 2004 | $29.5 | $36.6 | $66.1 |
| 2005 | $34.9 | $51.3 | $86.2 |
| 2006 | $41.9 | $61.1 | $103.0 |
| 2007 | $53.8 | $61.1 | $114.9 |
| 2008 | $68.8 | $79.0 | $147.8 |
| 2009 | $57.7 | $48.5 | $106.2 |
| 2010 | $70.7 | $60.3 | $131.0 |
| 2011 | $88.7 | $80.5 | $169.1 |
| 2012 | $93.2 | $83.4 | $176.6 |
| 2013 | $94.2 | $74.4 | $168.5 |
| 2014 | $92.0 | $75.2 | $167.2 |
| 2015 | $76.8 | $59.8 | $136.6 |
| 2016 | $63.0 | $49.7 | $112.7 |
| 2017 | $71.8 | $59.9 | $131.6 |
| 2018 | $89.4 | $69.5 | $158.9 |
| 2019 | $92.5 | $64.5 | $156.9 |
| 2020 | $73.3 | $52.4 | $125.7 |
| 2021 | $95.2 | $75.7 | $170.9 |
| 2022 | $136.0 | $109.6 | $245.6 |
| 2023 | $125.3 | $102.9 | $228.1 |
| 2024 | $129.9 | $93.7 | $223.5 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
The top export commodities by value from Port Houston in 2024 were mineral fuels ($75.3 billion), followed by organic chemicals ($12.6 billion) and plastics ($12.3 billion). These commodities accounted for 77 percent of the port’s total exports. Top imports to the port included mineral fuels ($14.5 billion), machinery and mechanical appliances ($12.8 billion), and electrical machinery and equipment ($12.8 billion) (Exhibit 3).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
Commodity Value (in millions)
Mineral Fuels $75,284.6
Organic Chemicals $12,577.6
Plastics $12,330.4
Machinery and Mechanical Appliances $6,891.8
Miscellaneous Chemical Products $3,631.1
Total All Commodities $129,861.3
Commodity Import Value (in millions)
Mineral Fuels $14,479.9
Machinery and Mechanical Appliances $12,824.8
Electrical Machinery and Equipment $12,781.8
Articles of Iron or Steel $7,424.0
Organic Chemicals $4,819.1
Total All Commodities $93,672.6
The value of exports from Port Houston to its top five recipient countries was $47 billion in 2024, or 36.2 percent of its total. The Netherlands was the leading destination for exported goods, receiving 10 percent of all exported commodities from the port (Exhibit 4).
| Country | Exports Value (in billions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $12.9 | 10% |
| Mexico | $10.8 | 8% |
| China | $8.8 | 7% |
| Brazil | $7.5 | 6% |
| Japan | $7.0 | 5% |
| Other | $82.9 | 64% |
| Total | $129.9 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
Port Houston’s top five import trading partners accounted for 41.8 percent of its $93.7 billion in imports in 2024, with China comprising nearly a fifth of all imports (Exhibit 5).
| Country | Imports Value (in billions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $16.7 | 18% |
| Germany | $6.0 | 6% |
| Korea, South | $5.9 | 6% |
| India | $5.3 | 6% |
| Vietnam | $4.4 | 5% |
| Other | $55.5 | 59% |
| Total | $93.9 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
Port Houston underwent several capital improvement projects in 2024, with total project costs of $547.9 million (Exhibit 6). Projects included the deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel, a waterway that connects the U.S.’ largest petrochemical complex to the world and sees the most deep-draft ship visits among all U.S. ports.3
| Project | Cost (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Houston Ship Channel Deepening and Widening | $187.4 |
| Wharf Construction and Rehabilitations | $121.9 |
| RTG Cranes | $59.6 |
| New Terminal Maintenance Facility | $25.1 |
| Terminal Deepening and Widening | $16.7 |
| New Executive Building | $14.3 |
| Machinery and Equipment | $7.2 |
| Other Miscellaneous Capital Projects | $67.7 |
| Total Major Construction Project Costs | $547.9 |
Source: Port Houston.