In 2018, the El Paso port of entry handled northbound border-crossing traffic of about 811,000 trucks.
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Port of El Paso: All Trade
Port of Entry
Port of El Paso
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 El Paso’s contributions to the Texas economy include:
Total trade (2018) $81.9 Billion
Direct and indirect employment 165,500
gross domestic product $25 Billion
Sources: REMI, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
About the Port of El Paso
El Paso’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 El Paso border crossings are part of the El Paso Customs District, which includes Albuquerque, Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa Airport, Columbus, Fabens and Presidio.
Port of El Paso: All Trade
2003 to 2018
| Year | Total Trade through El Paso (in billions) | Percentage of Total Trade through Seaports |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 40.5 billion dollars | 26.1% |
| 2004 | 44.7 billion dollars | 25.5% |
| 2005 | 45.1 billion dollars | 24.6% |
| 2006 | 48.8 billion dollars | 23.8% |
| 2007 | 51.1 billion dollars | 23.5% |
| 2008 | 49.4 billion dollars | 22.1% |
| 2009 | 43.4 billion dollars | 22.9% |
| 2010 | 57.1 billion dollars | 23.6% |
| 2011 | 61.3 billion dollars | 22.2% |
| 2012 | 66.8 billion dollars | 21.9% |
| 2013 | 68.1 billion dollars | 21.3% |
| 2014 | 68.9 billion dollars | 19.8% |
| 2015 | 73.0 billion dollars | 20.5% |
| 2016 | 75.5 billion dollars | 21.1% |
| 2017 | 76.5 billion dollars | 20.2% |
| 2018 | 81.9 billion dollars | 20.1% |
Shipping activity through this port accounted for $81.9 billion in trade in 2018, 102 percent more than in 2003 ($40.5 billion).
This land port’s trade, as a percentage of the total through all 11 Texas land ports, has fluctuated from as high as 26.1 percent in 2003 to as low as 19.8 percent in 2014.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
Port of El Paso: Total Trade with Top Trading Partners, 2014 to 2018
Imports Exports
| Year | Trade | Exports | Imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $77.4 | $32.3 | $45.1 |
| 2017 | $70.9 | $29.5 | $41.4 |
| 2016 | $71.1 | $31.0 | $40.1 |
| 2015 | $70.0 | $31.2 | $38.8 |
| 2014 | $67.5 | $31.6 | $35.9 |
Mexico accounted for about 95 percent of the total trade through this port in 2018, down from about 98 percent in 2014.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online
| Port of El Paso | |||
| Top Imports: | Electronics, Machinery | ||
| Top Exports: | Electronics, Machinery | ||
| Top Trading Partners: | Mexico, China, Thailand | ||
El Paso 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.