Maritime merchants wanted western ports to trade what?

The correct answer is Pacific countries.

Maritime merchants wanted Western ports to trade with Pacific countries.  

Maritime merchants wanted to establish trade relations with countries in the Pacific because was the logical option in that time. This way maritime merchant could take advantage of the existent resources to navigate throughout the Pacific and reach those ports to trade their products.

The other options of the question were, a) Mexico, c) Texas, d) New York.

i am sure the answer is d