Business, Feature, Freight News, Sea

LA, Long Beach Ports Keep Record Pace

[ November 22, 2024   //   Gary G Burrows ]

The California ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are in the midst of a record string for container volumes, both setting records for October volumes.

            The Port of Long Beach moved nearly 1 million cargo containers in October, the strongest month ever, driven by brisk demand for holiday goods and delayed containership arrivals caused by a nearby traffic incident and fire that affected some terminal operations at the end of September.

            In San Pedro, the Port of Los Angeles handled a record 905,026 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in October, a 25 percent increase over the previous year. It’s the first time the port has exceeded 900,000 TEUs for four consecutive months.

Robust Demand

            Long Beach dockworkers and terminal operators moved 987,191 TEUs in October, up 30.7 percent from the same month last year and surpassing the port’s previous all-time one-month record set just two months earlier in August 2024 by 8 percent. Imports jumped 34.2 percent to 487,563 TEUs and exports rose 25.3 percent to 112,845 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the port grew 28.1 percent to 386,782 TEUs. October also marked the port’s fifth consecutive monthly year-over-year cargo increase.

            “We anticipate a continued influx of cargo due to robust consumer demand, concerns about potential tariffs and ongoing labor negotiations at ports on the East and Gulf coasts,” said Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach CEO.

            The Port of Long Beach has moved 7.9 million TEUs during the first 10 months of 2024, up 20.2 percent from the same period last year.

Port of Los Angeles

            Ten months into 2024, the Port of Los Angeles has moved 8.5 million TEUs, 19 percent ahead of its 2023 pace. 

            October 2024 loaded imports landed at 462,740 TEUs, a 24 percent increase compared to the previous year. Loaded exports came in at 122,716 TEUs, a 1 percent increase compared to 2023. The Port processed 319,570 empty containers, a 38 percent jump compared to 2023.

            “These robust, sustained volumes will likely continue in the coming months with strong consumer spending, an early Lunar New Year, importer concerns about unresolved East Coast labor issues and the possibility of new tariffs next year that could drive up shipping costs,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.

Tags: Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles