A Port of Export is the U.S. port from which a shipment physically leaves the country. The exporter (or its agent) reports the port of export on Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed in the Automated Export System (AES).
Port of export uses the same Schedule D port codes as Port of Entry — a 4-digit numeric code identifying the CBP location. Ports of export include:
- Major seaports (Long Beach, Savannah, Houston, New York/Newark)
- International airports (LAX, JFK, ORD, ATL)
- Land border crossings (Laredo TX, Detroit MI, Buffalo NY)
- Postal export facilities
The port of export is distinct from the point of origin (where the goods were originally located) and the state of origin (the state from which they were shipped). All three are separately reported on EEI for U.S. Census Bureau trade statistics.
For multi-modal shipments, the port of export is the last U.S. port before the goods leave the country. Cargo trucked from Chicago to Long Beach for ocean export reports Long Beach as the port of export, not Chicago.
Reporting accuracy matters because:
- The U.S. Census Bureau uses port-of-export data for monthly trade balance statistics
- CBP outbound enforcement (export controls, sanctions) is performed by CBP officers at the port of export
- Some trade preference and drawback rules reference port of export documentation