The Port of Galveston also houses the state’s main cruise ship terminal.
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Port of Galveston: All Trade
Port of Entry
Port of Galveston
Ports of entry within the state of Texas accounted for nearly $740 billion in international trade in 2018. Texas has 29 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.
Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
The Port of Galveston’s contributions to the Texas economy include:
Total trade (2018) $6.4 Billion
Direct and indirect employment 28,300
gross domestic product $4.3 Billion
Sources: REMI, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
About the Port of Galveston
The Port of Galveston is one of 10 seaports along Texas’ 367-mile Gulf of Mexico coastline. It is part of the Houston–Galveston Customs District, which includes the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Sugar Land Regional Airport, the Port of Houston, the Port of Texas City, the Port of Freeport, the Port of Port Lavaca and the Port of Corpus Christi. The Port of Galveston is Texas’ primary cruise port, and tourism makes up a large portion of the economic activity the port generates.
The Port of Galveston was established in 1825 by the Mexican government when the land still belonged to Mexico. In 1836, it became the principal port for the Republic of Texas, making it the oldest commercial port in the state.
Port of Galveston: All Trade
2003 to 2018
| Year | Total Trade through Galveston (in billions) | Percentage of Total Trade through Seaports |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 5.9 billion dollars | 6.5% |
| 2004 | 6.3 billion dollars | 5.3% |
| 2005 | 7.6 billion dollars | 5.0% |
| 2006 | 4.8 billion dollars | 2.7% |
| 2007 | 6.9 billion dollars | 3.5% |
| 2008 | 6.1 billion dollars | 2.3% |
| 2009 | 4.4 billion dollars | 2.5% |
| 2010 | 5.5 billion dollars | 2.5% |
| 2011 | 7.2 billion dollars | 2.5% |
| 2012 | 8.9 billion dollars | 3.0% |
| 2013 | 7.6 billion dollars | 2.7% |
| 2014 | 8.0 billion dollars | 2.9% |
| 2015 | 5.4 billion dollars | 2.7% |
| 2016 | 4.0 billion dollars | 2.4% |
| 2017 | 4.7 billion dollars | 2.2% |
| 2018 | 6.4 billion dollars | 2.4% |
Shipping activity through this port accounted for $6.4 billion in trade in 2018, 8 percent more than in 2003 ($5.9 billion).
This seaport’s trade, as a percentage of the total through all 10 Texas seaports, was 6.5 percent in 2003 but has been 3 percent or less since 2008.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
Port of Galveston: Total Trade with Top Trading Partners, 2014 to 2018
Imports Exports
| Year | Trade | Exports | Imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $1.4 | $0.4 | $1.0 |
| 2015 | $1.0 | $0.2 | $0.8 |
| 2016 | $1.3 | $0.2 | $1.1 |
| 2017 | $1.6 | $0.3 | $1.3 |
| 2018 | $2.3 | $0.6 | $1.7 |
Germany, Brazil and Japan together accounted for about 43 percent of the total trade through this port in 2018, up from 25 percent in 2014.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
| Port of Galveston | |||
| Top Imports: | Machinery, Vehicles | ||
| Top Exports: | Petroleum Products, Machinery | ||
| Top Trading Partners: | Germany, Brazil, Japan | ||
The Port of Galveston 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.