Port of Lake Charles adds ship loader retains top 10 ranking

Louisiana’s growing Port of Lake Charles remains a top-10 U.S. deepwater port — just ahead of the Port of Los Angeles — for the second straight year, the port announced.

The No. 10 ranking is based on U.S. Commerce Department tonnage statistics.

Also, additional capacity and capability has been created by the addition of a state-of-the-art ship loader to Bulk Terminal No. 1, significantly strengthening capacity for heavy bulk cargo operations.

The loader — 174 feet tall, weighing 900 tons — represents a $14 million investment in domestic manufacturing and local economic development.

The installation brings BT‑1’s tally to two high-capacity ship loaders capable of simultaneous vessel servicing. When operational, one loader can deliver cargo onto conveyors while the other directs material to trucks or railcars, streamlining operations and reducing vessel turnaround times.

BT‑1 already handles more than 3.1 million short tons of dry bulk—such as petroleum coke, calcined coke, barite, and rutile—each year, with the loader rated to move petcoke at 3,200 short tons per hour.

National economic impact

A new economic impact study finds that marine cargo activity at the Gulf Coast port and its associated Calcasieu Ship Channel supported $83.4 billion in total U.S. economic value in 2024.

The findings come from an independent analysis by Martin Associates, the nationally recognized transportation economic analysis firm. They highlight the critical role the Calcasieu Ship Channel plays in the regional and national economy.

“This study confirms what we’ve known for years—the Calcasieu Ship Channel is a national economic engine,” said Richert Self, executive director of the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District. “From petrochemicals to LNG exports, the cargo moving through this waterway fuels American industry, employment, and trade competitiveness.”

The study found that economic activity along the Ship Channel in 2024 generated:

• $27.5 billion in personal wage and salary income and consumption expenditures nationwide.

• $2.9 billion in state and local tax revenue nationwide.

• $5.5 billion in federal tax revenue.

• $11.6 million in U.S. Customs revenue.

•  $7.1 million in Harbor Maintenance Tax revenue collected from international and domestic cargo moving through the Ship Channel.

In 2024, maritime commerce through the Ship Channel supported 302,110 jobs across the United States, with 135,602 of those jobs in Louisiana.

Beyond direct employment, cargo-related activity stimulated an additional 34,376 induced jobs nationwide through local spending by those workers, 13,500 indirect jobs supported by supplier industries, and 239,265 related jobs with shippers, manufacturers, and end-users that depend on the channel’s cargo flow.

No. 1 in world for LNG exports

The Ship Channel handled an estimated 65 million tons of cargo in 2024, with 53 percent of it classified as international trade — marking a shift driven by the rise of exports of liquefied natural gas. Southwest Louisiana is the world’s No. 1 location for LNG exports, and most of that activity takes place on properties owned by the Port of Lake Charles.

The growth was largely fueled by the opening of the Cameron LNG and Venture Global LNG facilities, both located along the Ship Channel. These developments have positioned the Port of Lake Charles as a leading U.S. hub for liquefied natural gas exports.

The Port’s public terminals handled such diverse commodities as petroleum coke, cement, bagged and bulk grain, lumber, limestone, rutile, barite and chemical products. In contrast, private terminals serve some of the largest petrochemical and refining operations in the region.

National strategic asset

The Calcasieu Ship Channel’s strategic importance extends far beyond the Gulf Coast. Using detailed commodity flow data, Martin Associates distributed the channel’s total U.S. economic impact across all 50 states, based on transportation linkages and supply chain connections.

“The Ship Channel’s reach is truly national,” Self said. “Whether it's energy security, manufacturing supply chains, or infrastructure savings, this waterway delivers value to virtually every corner of the country.”

As the Port continues to expand its facilities and support industrial growth, officials say they remain committed to maintaining the navigability and efficiency of the channel—a task that is vital not just to Southwest Louisiana, but to the entire U.S. economy.