About Kansas City
While Kansas City is not located on a coast, it is a major inland port and intermodal freight hub that plays a critical role in U.S. shipping and logistics. Known as "America’s Heartland Port," Kansas City handles massive volumes of cargo moving across the country by rail, truck, and barge via the Missouri River. The Port of Kansas City (Woodswether Terminal) is part of the larger Kansas City Port Authority, which facilitates barge traffic on the Missouri River and connects to global trade via Gulf Coast ports like [New Orleans](https://www.eveoncontainers.com/en-US/locations/shipping-container-new-orleans).
The region's imports often include raw materials, consumer goods, [machinery](https://www.eveoncontainers.com/en-US/industries/shipping-containers-for-manufacturing--eveon-containers), and [construction](https://www.eveoncontainers.com/en-US/industries/shipping-containers-for-construction) materials, much of which arrives by rail or barge from coastal ports. Exports from Kansas City typically consist of [agricultural products](https://www.eveoncontainers.com/en-US/industries/shipping-containers-for-the-farming--agriculture-industry) (like soybeans and corn), manufactured goods, [automotive parts](https://www.eveoncontainers.com/en-US/industries/automotive), and chemicals. Many of these goods are produced in the Midwest and routed through Kansas City’s intermodal systems for international shipment via Gulf or West Coast ports.
Kansas City is one of the largest rail hubs in North America, served by five Class I railroads (BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City). It also boasts extensive intermodal terminals operated by BNSF Logistics Park, UP’s Neff Yard, and SmartPort, a public-private partnership that promotes global trade. These facilities are heavily used by manufacturers, agribusinesses, logistics companies, and retailers such as Ford, General Motors, Hallmark, and Cargill, all of which depend on Kansas City for efficient multimodal transport.
The city also sits at the intersection of major interstate highways (I70, I35, I29), making it an ideal location for trucking operations and warehousing. This seamless integration of rail, road, and river makes Kansas City a powerful inland port in both domestic and international supply chains.