In 2018, the Laredo port of entry handled northbound border-crossing traffic of about 2.3 million trucks.
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Port of Laredo: All Trade
Port of Entry
Port of Laredo
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 Laredo’s contributions to the Texas economy include:
Total trade (2018) $234.7 Billion
Direct and indirect employment 474,400
gross domestic product $71.7 Billion
Sources: REMI, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
About the Port of Laredo
Laredo’s border crossings together form one of 11 land ports along Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico. Each land port in the state facilitates the movement of people and goods via commercial, vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
The Laredo border crossings are part of the Laredo Customs District, which includes Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Hidalgo, Rio Grande City, Roma, Edinburg Airport, Progreso, Valley International Airport – Harlingen and Brownsville.
Port of Laredo: All Trade
2003 to 2018
| Year | Total Trade through Laredo (in billions) | Percentage of Total Trade through Seaports |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 80.1 billion dollars | 51% |
| 2004 | 91.3 billion dollars | 52% |
| 2005 | 95.6 billion dollars | 52% |
| 2006 | 105.7 billion dollars | 52% |
| 2007 | 112.5 billion dollars | 52% |
| 2008 | 118.8 billion dollars | 53% |
| 2009 | 98.4 billion dollars | 52% |
| 2010 | 125.3 billion dollars | 52% |
| 2011 | 149.8 billion dollars | 54% |
| 2012 | 168.5 billion dollars | 55% |
| 2013 | 180.0 billion dollars | 56% |
| 2014 | 199.6 billion dollars | 57% |
| 2015 | 205.1 billion dollars | 57% |
| 2016 | 199.9 billion dollars | 56% |
| 2017 | 214.7 billion dollars | 57% |
| 2018 | 234.7 billion dollars | 58% |
Shipping activity through this port accounted for $234.7 billion in trade in 2018, 193 percent more than in 2003 ($80.1 billion).
This land port’s trade, as a percentage of the total through all 11 Texas land ports, has gradually increased from 51.5 percent in 2003 to 57.6 percent in 2018.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
Port of Laredo: Total Trade with Top Trading Partners, 2014 to 2018
Imports Exports
| Year | Trade | Exports | Imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $228.8 | $100.2 | $128.5 |
| 2017 | $208.6 | $94.2 | $114.4 |
| 2016 | $193.8 | $88.7 | $105.0 |
| 2015 | $198.6 | $91.7 | $106.9 |
| 2014 | $193.2 | $91.4 | $101.8 |
Mexico accounted for about 97 percent of the total trade through this port in 2018, which has remained steady since 2014.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
| Port of Laredo | |||
| Top Imports: | Vehicles, Machinery | ||
| Top Exports: | Machinery, Electronics | ||
| Top Trading Partners: | Mexico, China, Malaysia | ||
Laredo 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.