[3] The Calcasieu Ship Channel provides direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, 34 miles downstream from the city docks.

The ship channel intersects the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway just north of Calcasieu Lake.

The Port of Lake Charles, also known as the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District, has a variety of components including City Docks, Bulk Terminals, the Industrial Canal, Sempra Cameron LNG, Industrial Park East, and Westlake Terminal.

Other commodities include Petroleum coke, Calcined petroleum coke, limestone, Ceramic ceramic proppants, anode Butts, gasoline, diesel fuel, Jet fuel, caustic soda, styrene monomers, and a variety of other combustibles.

[4] As of 2024 the director of the Port of Lake Charles is Richert (Ricky) Self, replaced William "Bill" Rase who retired[5]