Marine Forwarding

Country guide

Shipping between the US and the Bahamas

Central America and the Caribbean · 2 port guides

In 2025 the United States exported $6.0 billion of goods to the Bahamas and imported $2.6 billion from there. The Bahamas ranked 45th among US export markets and 67th among sources of US imports.

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6 ports in the Bahamas recorded in the World Port Index
US exports, 2025
$6.0BUp 10.2% on 2024 ($5.4 billion)
US imports, 2025
$2.6BUp 45.9% on 2024 ($1.8 billion)
Goods balance
$3.4BUS surplus
Export market rank
45thAmong destinations of US goods
Import source rank
67thAmong sources of US imports

Top goods each way

The five largest Harmonized System chapters by value in 2025, with each chapter's share of the total.

US exports to the Bahamas

Mineral fuels and oils (chapter 27) led US exports to the Bahamas at $3.1 billion, 52% of the total. The top three chapters made up 66%.

  1. 27Mineral fuels and oils$3.1 billion51.6%
  2. 98Special classification provisions$593.7 million9.9%
  3. 84Machinery and mechanical appliances$295.1 million4.9%
  4. 88Aircraft and spacecraft$220.1 million3.7%
  5. 85Electrical machinery and equipment$165.0 million2.8%

US imports from the Bahamas

Special classification provisions (chapter 98) led US imports from the Bahamas at $1.9 billion, 71% of the total. The top three chapters made up 96%.

  1. 98Special classification provisions$1.9 billion71.1%
  2. 27Mineral fuels and oils$574.3 million22.0%
  3. 03Fish and seafood$91.1 million3.5%
  4. 25Salt, stone, lime and cement$48.6 million1.9%
  5. 39Plastics$24.4 million0.9%

Trade terms

The United States has no free trade agreement in force with the Bahamas, according to the US Trade Representative. Check the duty rate for your goods before you ship.

The International Trade Administration covers the import rules and documents the Bahamas requires in its Country Commercial Guide.

Through Norfolk-Newport News

The Census Bureau records trade by the US port it passes through. These are its 2025 figures for Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia, for trade with the Bahamas.

Exports through the port, 2025
$5.5M0.1% of the US total with the Bahamas
Leading export goods
Beverages and spiritsHS chapter 22, $4.5 million
Imports through the port, 2025
$871K0.0% of the US total with the Bahamas
Leading import goods
Special classification provisionsHS chapter 98, $859 thousand

Trade through Norfolk-Newport News

Ports in the Bahamas

2 ports in the Bahamas have a guide here, with depths and facilities from the World Port Index. In the index, Freeport records the deepest cargo pier of them, at 11 m.

Also recorded in the World Port Index for the Bahamas: Clifton Pier, Cockburn Town, Matthew Town and South Riding Point.

Sources

  • US trade figures: US Census Bureau, International Trade API, HS2 total exports and general imports for calendar 2024 and 2025, retrieved November 4, 2026.
  • Port data: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, World Port Index (Pub 150), from NGA's UpdatedPub150.csv as captured by the Internet Archive on September 29, 2026.
  • Trade agreements: Office of the US Trade Representative, free trade agreements, checked November 3, 2026.
  • Import requirements: International Trade Administration, Country Commercial Guides, checked November 3, 2026.
  • Map: Natural Earth 1:110m land, public domain.