Its natural deep-water harbor operates all year long and serves both passenger and merchant ships.

When the Crusaders conquered Haifa in the year 1100, it became an important town and the main port for Tiberias, the capital of the Galilee.

The port fell into disrepair during the Mamluk reign, and acquired the reputation of a pirate lair in the 18th century.

[citation needed] During the late Ottoman period, Haifa was one of the most important nodes in trade and social networks across the region, which encompassed major cosmopolitan centres like Damascus, Beirut, Aleppo, and Cairo.

The city was increasingly folded into the growing capitalist economy of the world and it was a key player in regional markets.

A modern 17-lane truck gate facility can handle multiple cargo vehicles exiting the port simultaneously.

The port opened the first phase in the "Carmel Port" expansion program in 2010 that involved the construction of a new cargo terminal which includes a 700m long wharf capable of handling 15,500 TEU container ships with a maximum draft of 15.2m, as well as the opening of a secondary 250 metres (820 ft) wharf plus adjacent support and storage areas.

The Carmelit's Kikar Paris subway station is also within walking distance and allows convenient access to the top of Mount Carmel.

The plan involves the following:[10] The new container terminal was built by the Israeli construction firms Ashtrom and Shapir Marine & Civil Engineering and officially inaugurated on 1 September 2021.