Though it has been its own governmental entity since 1949, the Port of Beaumont’s roots date back to 1908 when local businessmen began developing dock facilities along the Neches River waterfront. Channel improvements since then have transformed Beaumont into a major Gulf Coast shipping center for commodities such as bulk grain, forest products, industrial materials and other cargoes to and from more than 40 countries around the world. Today, the Port of Beaumont consistently ranks among the top five ports in the United States in terms of cargo tonnage. The port has handled military cargo since the 1950s and now ranks as the largest military port in the United States and the world’s second largest.