858.2M
TEU handled by the world's container ports
Global container port traffic reached 858.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2023.
Source: UN Trade and Development, 2024Reference data
Shipping Container & U.S. Port Statistics
Current, source-backed figures on the global container network and the U.S. ports that keep freight moving. Updated August 31, 2026.
Shipping containers are part of a worldwide freight system, but the same standard sizes also make practical storage possible for businesses, jobsites, farms, and properties across Oklahoma. The figures below are presented for reporters, researchers, students, and anyone looking for a clear, citable view of the container economy.
At a glance
Citable container and port facts
+217M
TEU added to global port traffic over 10 years
World container port traffic grew by 217 million TEU between 2013 and 2023.
Source: UN Trade and Development, 2024$2.1T+
U.S. imports and exports handled by ports
U.S. ports accounted for more than $2.1 trillion in imports and exports in 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 202641%
Share of U.S. import and export value moving through ports
Ports handled 41% of the value of all U.S. imports and exports in 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 202666%
Share of U.S. port trade value that was imports
Imports made up 66% of the U.S. port trade value reported for 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 202634%
Share of U.S. port trade value that was exports
Exports made up 34% of the U.S. port trade value reported for 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2026164,900
U.S. jobs in waterborne transportation and support
Waterborne transportation and its support activities employed 164,900 people in the United States in 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2026$13.5B
Annual U.S. payroll for waterborne transportation and support
The sector's total annual payroll was $13.5 billion in 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2026A useful definition
What is a TEU?
TEU means twenty-foot equivalent unit. It is the standard measure used to compare container capacity and traffic. One 20-foot container equals one TEU. A typical 40-foot container equals two TEU.
Container sizes and ratings are governed by the ISO 668 standard for Series 1 freight containers. The standard gives the global freight system a common physical language, while the container you buy for storage should always be measured and inspected for the job at hand.
View the ISO 668 container standardMethodology & sources
How these figures were selected
This page uses figures from public reports published by UN Trade and Development and the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Each statistic links to the report that supports it. Global container-port figures refer to 2023, the latest full-year global figures used here. U.S. trade, employment, and payroll figures refer to 2024.
- UN Trade and Development, Review of Maritime Transport 2024
- U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Port Performance Freight Statistics: 2026 Annual Report
- International Organization for Standardization, ISO 668:2020
Cite this page
Wood Tech Structures. “Shipping Container & U.S. Port Statistics.” Updated August 31, 2026. https://woodtechstructures.com/shipping-container-statistics
Container storage in Northeast Oklahoma
