Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
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Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
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Port of Entry

Port of Port Arthur

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 Port Arthur’s contributions to the Texas economy include:

Total trade (2018) $22.9 Billion

Direct and indirect employment 102,100

gross domestic product $15.4 Billion

Sources: REMI, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts


About the Port of Port Arthur

Map of Texas that shows location of Port Arthur over background of a close-up map of the port.

In 2018, the Port of Port Arthur handled more than 48 billion tons of cargo.

The Port of Port Arthur is one of 10 seaports along Texas’ 367-mile Gulf of Mexico coastline. It is part of the Port Arthur Customs District, which includes the ports of Orange, Beaumont and Sabine. The Port of Port Arthur handles many types of trade, from large oil tankers to military cargo.

In 2009, the Port of Port Arthur was federally designated as a U.S. Strategic Seaport, ready to support military forces during national emergencies.


Port of Port Arthur: All Trade
2003 to 2018

Port of Port Arthur: All Trade (All Commodities), 2003 to 2018
Year Total Trade through Port Arthur (in billions) Percentage of Total Trade through Seaports
2003 $9.9 11.0%
2004 $11.8 9.9%
2005 $15.5 10.2%
2006 $18.8 10.6%
2007 $22.1 11.2%
2008 $29.7 11.3%
2009 $18.7 10.6%
2010 $25.0 11.1%
2011 $30.8 10.7%
2012 $28.5 9.6%
2013 $25.1 8.9%
2014 $25.0 9.1%
2015 $16.9 8.3%
2016 $15.1 9.0%
2017 $22.7 10.9%
2018 $29.5 11.3%

Shipping activity through this port accounted for $22.9 billion in trade in 2018, 145 percent more than in 2003 ($9.4 billion).

Shipping activity has varied since 2003, but as a percentage of the total through all 10 Texas seaports, the port’s trade has been relatively stable (between 8 and 11 percent).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online

Port of Port Arthur: Total Trade with Top Trading Partners, 2014 to 2018

Imports Exports

Port of Port Arthur: Trade Value (2014 to 2018)
Year Trade ExportsImports
2018 $10.8 $2.8 $7.9
2017 $5.3 $0.1 $5.2
2016 $4.0 $0.2 $3.7
2015 $6.9 $0.8 $6.1
2014 $13.4 $1.0 $12.4

Saudi Arabia, Canada and Mexico together accounted for about 58 percent of the total trade through this port in 2018. The percentage was similar in 2014 and 2015 but had dropped below 50 percent in 2016 and 2017.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online


Glenn Hegar

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

The Port of Port Arthur 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.