By Dannie Oliveaux | dannieoliveaux@theexaminer.com
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock released the results of a comptroller’s office study examining the impact of the Port of Beaumont on the Texas economy during a press conference Dec. 3, 2025 at the Port of Beaumont headquarters.
The Port of Beaumont is one of 23 seaports along Texas’ 367-mile Gulf Coast. Total trade through the port accounted for $23 billion in 2024, an increase of 182% from 2015 levels, according to the comptroller’s office. Each port — whether an airport, land port or seaport — supports domestic and international economic activity across multiple industries.
“We have 32 official ports of entry in the state of Texas that generate $1 trillion for our economy,” Hancock said. “Obviously, it is a huge driver in our economy.”
He said the Port of Beaumont contributed $23 billion in total trade in 2024 and supported 157,098 direct and indirect jobs. The port’s gross domestic product impact totaled $23.4 billion.
“Ports are the front doors to Texas’ economy, driving jobs, trade and long-term growth,” Hancock said during a stop on the Good for Texas Tour: Ports Edition. “The Port of Beaumont is a powerhouse for Southeast Texas — moving billions in goods, supporting families and contributing to our state’s role as the nation’s economic leader.”
The Port of Beaumont has experienced significant growth since 2020, with total trade more than doubling by 2024.
Exports have fueled the port’s growth, overtaking imports in 2014 and increasing 117% from 2020 to 2024.
Of Texas’ total international trade, 40.4%, or $429.4 billion, moved through the state’s seaports, with the Port of Beaumont accounting for 5.4% of total seaport trade. Each Texas seaport offers unique capabilities and shipping options, including bulk, roll-on/roll-off, container, and liquid or gas shipping.
Based on the comptroller’s estimates, trade through the Port of Beaumont in 2024 supported approximately 157,000 net jobs and contributed $23.4 billion to Texas’ gross domestic product.
The top export commodities by value from the Port of Beaumont in 2024 were mineral fuels at $17.4 billion, followed by organic chemicals at $3.3 billion, mineral products at $44.8 million, and inorganic chemicals at $42.9 million. The commodities accounted for 99.9% of the port’s total exports. Top imports included mineral fuels at $1.7 billion, wood pulp at $182.2 million, and animal or vegetable oils at $172.6 million.
According to Hancock, Texas’ economy now ranks eighth-largest in the world.
“It’s larger than Canada, larger than Mexico, and we’re sneaking up on France, which is just right in front of us,” he said. “And we continue to grow even in the economic environment we have today. We’re growing by 1,500 people a day, and our sales tax continues to perform at about a 5% increase over the previous year — a story that no other state is talking about.”
Hancock, who took over as comptroller June 19, 2025, said his office is already focused on providing tools and resources to support economic growth.
The comptroller said his office looks forward to working with the Texas Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE.
“We look forward to working with it to make sure we’re still providing a regulatory environment and an efficient government that continues to promote economic growth and encourages businesses to come to Texas — and they have,” he said. “We’ve passed legislation over the last couple of sessions, and we’ve also had assistance from states such as Delaware and New York, which are no longer very business-friendly.”
Hancock said Texas’ economy has evolved significantly over the past two decades.
“We were once purely an oil and gas state,” he said. “Then technology became the No. 1 driver in our GDP. Today, financial institutions are the No. 1 driver of gross domestic product in Texas. That tells you how much we’ve changed.”
He said discussions are ongoing regarding the growth of data centers and artificial intelligence and how those industries will continue to strengthen the state’s economy.
“Data centers are not big employers,” Hancock said. “Construction will employ a lot of people, but once built, they won’t employ many. That’s why we have to continue to diversify.”
Hancock said 99.8% of businesses in Texas are small businesses, and they employ about 80% of the state’s workforce.
“So the economy is strong,” he said. “Sure, there are question marks, but Texas is still the No. 1 place to operate and the No. 1 place to do business. Through Texas DOGE and our office, we will continue to focus on transparency and accountability.”
For more information on Texas ports, visit comptroller.texas.gov/economy/economic-data/ports/2024/.
