North Carolina’s Morehead City and Wilmington ports contribute approximately $15.4 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to a 2018 Economic Impact Study.
The Port of Morehead City contributed $2.5 billion while the Port of Wilmington contributed $12.9 billion.
The ports contribute $687 million in local and state tax revenue annually. The Port of Morehead City resulted in more than $32 million in county property tax, and the Port of Wilmington resulted in more than $192 million.
Ports activity resulted in more than $343 million in business sales tax. Activity at the ports also supports 44,600 jobs. An additional 42,900 jobs were supported through indirect and induced activities
“Our ports are important to the overall economic health of the state whether that’s through generating tens of thousands of jobs or hundreds of millions of dollars in annual state tax revenue.” Jim Trogdon, North Carolina Department of Transportation secretary, said. “This study is a testament of NC Ports’ commitment to driving business to North Carolina and fructifying our economy.”
The study was conducted by the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University. Researchers examined figures from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, to conduct the economic assessment.