New York has four major ports with a minimum channel depth of 27 feet.

The port of Buffalo, New York (Google map) is located on the eastern end of Lake Erie and has been a key U.S. Great Lakes port from the very first days of maritime trade on the Lakes. The focal point of Buffalo's port operations over the past decade has been Gateway Metroport located in Lackawanna just south of the city of Buffalo. Gateway Metroport has established a cargo profile of primarily dry bulk commodities.

The port of Oswego, New York (Google map) is the largest U.S. port on Lake Ontario and the first Great Lakes port of call for inbound ocean vessels. The port is 45 miles from the entrance to the St. Lawrence River and offers access to major highway and railway transportation routes. Primary products handled at the port include aluminum ingots, agricultural fertilizers, road salt, materials for recycling and heavy machinery. Oswego's largest volume commodity is cement.

The port of Ogdensburg, New York (Google map) is the only U.S. commercial port on the St. Lawrence River and the eastern-most U.S. port of call in the Seaway system. It serves a number of large cities in northern New York State, including Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany and Utica.  and Albany. The main ports of upstate New York collectively handle approx. 2,000,000 tons of cargo per year.

Located on the Upper Hudson River, the Port of Albany / Rensselaer (Google map) has been an historic transportation hub since the city was founded over 300 years ago. The Hudson River feeds into the state’s extensive canal system. The area roadways connect with major interstate highways. Rail lines place cargo in close proximity to any location in North America. Albany International Airport is only a 15 minute drive away.