Ports Delivery Prosperity

For centuries, ports have served as a vital economic lifeline by bringing goods and services to people around the world. Today, approximately 99 percent of all goods come to the United States by ships, and ports continue to be a critical link for access to the global marketplace.

Ports throughout the Western Hemisphere generate trillions of dollars of economic activities, support the employment of millions of people, and import and export more than 4.5 billion tons of cargo, including goods, clothing, medicine, fuel and building materials, as well as consumer electronics and toys. The volume of cargo shipped by water is expected to dramatically increase by 2020 and the number of passengers traveling through ports will also continue to grow.

To meet these demands, the American Association of Port Authorities and its members -- including the Port of Vancouver USA -- are committed to keeping ports navigable, secure and sustainable.

For more information about what ports mean to the economy, jobs, nations and communities, please click here.