Freight News, Logistics, Sea

Port Freeport Cargo Volumes Rise in 2025

[ May 28, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

Port Freeport and its port community handled 39.3 million tons of cargo in 2025, an 8.7 percent increase from the previous year, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics.

The increase pushed the Texas port up five positions to become the nation’s 13th-largest port by tonnage, while also climbing from fifth to fourth among Texas ports by total tonnage.

Port officials attributed the gains to continued growth across the port’s energy, petrochemical, chemical and agricultural cargo sectors, along with ongoing infrastructure investments aimed at expanding capacity and operational efficiency.

 “It is the result of collaboration among our public and private partners, terminal operators, and channel users working together to keep cargo moving through Port Freeport,” said Rob Giesecke, chairman of the Port Freeport Commission.

Located along the Texas Gulf Coast, Port Freeport has increasingly positioned itself as a strategic energy and industrial gateway supporting exports tied to refining, petrochemicals and broader Gulf Coast manufacturing activity.

The port has been advancing a series of infrastructure and modernization projects in recent years, including channel improvements, harbor enhancements and terminal development initiatives intended to accommodate larger vessel traffic and growing cargo volumes.

Like several Gulf Coast ports, Port Freeport has benefited from continuing strength in U.S. energy exports and petrochemical trade flows, particularly as global supply chains and commodity markets continue adjusting to geopolitical tensions and shifting trade patterns.

The latest cargo growth also reflects broader momentum across many U.S. Gulf ports, where export-oriented energy and industrial cargoes have remained comparatively resilient despite ongoing volatility in container shipping markets.

Tags: Port Freeport