In 2024, the
Port of Brownsville handled more than 28 million tons of import and export cargo.
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Port of Entry
Port of Brownsville
Ports of entry within the state of Texas accounted for over $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 Texas port plays a distinctive role in the state’s transportation network and contributes to the state and local economies.
The Port of Brownsville’s contributions to the Texas economy include:
Total trade (2024) $22.7 Billion
Direct and indirect employment 101,073
gross domestic product $11.9 Billion
About the Port of Brownsville
The Port of Brownsville is one of 23 seaports along Texas’ 367-mile Gulf Coast and is the only deepwater seaport on the Texas-Mexico border. It is part of the Port Houston-Galveston Customs District, which also includes Freeport, Galveston, Houston, George Bush International Airport, Lavaca, the Sugarland Regional Airport and Texas City.
The Port of Brownsville underwent several capital improvement projects in 2024, with total project costs of $226.9 million.
Port of Brownsville: All Trade 2003 to 2024
Data for All Trade
| 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 |
Shipping activity through this port accounted for $23 billion in trade in 2024, triple the trade value in 2016 ($7.4 billion).
Total exports from the port were $20.8 billion in 2024, led by mineral fuels ($17.4 billion) and organic chemicals ($3.3 billion).
| Port of Brownsville | |||
| Top Imports: | electric machinery and equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, vehicle parts | ||
| Top Exports: | petroleum, electric machinery and equipment, plastic products | ||
| Top Trading Partners: | Mexico, Guatemala, the Bahamas, Netherlands | ||
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 exports. Mexico was the leading destination for exported goods, receiving 92.8 percent of all exported commodities from the Port of Brownsville.
Top Export Destinations from Port of Brownsville, 2024
Export Destinations Data
| 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 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
KELLY HANCOCK
The Port of Brownsville is one of 29 official Texas Ports of Entry.
See a select list of ports, plus more in-depth regional data.
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the material on this page, please contact the Comptroller’s Data Analysis and Transparency Division.