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Los Angeles port moved 833,035 TEUs in June, its best performance since July 2022
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Executive director Gene Seroka optimistic forecast that the US West Coast gateway will outperform in the second half
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Seroka says cargo volume has surged 70% since February with four months of gains in a row
The Port of Los Angeles moved 833,035 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in June, the port’s largest cargo volume since July 2022 and just 5% less than last year’s record, port officials said.
The June result led Port of Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka to forecast that the US West Coast gateway will outperform in the second half.
“Cargo volume has increased a remarkable 70% since February with four months of consecutive gains,” said Seroka during a media briefing on Wednesday.
“Although we will likely see cargo ease in July, I’m optimistic that the second half of 2023 will show improved performance compared to the first six months.”
Seroka was joined at the media briefing by Acting US Secretary of Labor Julie Su, who discussed her role in the recent tentative agreement between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association.
Su also discussed the US Department of Labor’s initiatives to create jobs and empower American workers.
June 2023 loaded imports reached 435,307 TEUs, down 2% year on year. Loaded exports came in at 108,050 TEUs, an increase of 15% y-o-y. Empty containers landed dove 14% y-o-y at 289,679 TEUs.
In the first six months of 2023, the port handled 4,137,379 TEUs, a 24% decline from the same period in 2022.
The busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere, the Port of Los Angeles is North America’s leading trade gateway and has ranked as the No.1 container port in the United States for 23 consecutive years.
The port lost its top ranking to the Port of New York/New Jersey in August 2022 and fell to No.3 behind its neighbor Port of Long Beach, as Asian goods shipments to US importers were diverted to the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports to avoid the congestion and delays on the West Coast.
Los Angeles port’s October 2022 volume was 4.6% less than its 709,873 TEUs in September 2022, when it rose one rung to the No.2 spot, but was not enough to dislodge New York/New Jersey port as the US’ busiest port for the second month running in September with its cargo volume rising 16.3% y-o-y to 842,219 TEUs.
In 2022, Los Angeles port facilitated $311 billion in trade and handled a total of 9.9 million container units, the second busiest calendar year in its 116-year history.
San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs across the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.
