US Ports Post Year-Over-Year Increases for February
U.S. ports experienced overall increases in container volumes year-over-year in February to extend a strong start to the year.
The Port of Los Angeles reported processing 781,434 containers, a 60% improvement from 487,846 in 2023. This marked the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year growth at the port.
“Market confidence in our gateway is as strong as it’s ever been,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said during a media briefing. “We’ve got the world’s best longshore workforce eager to work with a long-term contract in place, and our current operational data indicates that cargo is flowing efficiently, with additional capacity available.”
Seroka expressed optimism his port is well-positioned moving into the second quarter with consumer spending and other economic indicators showing positive signs. The Port of Los Angeles has handled a total of 1,637,086 TEUs to date, a 35% increase from a year ago.
The Port of Long Beach reported that container volumes for the month increased 24.1% to 674,723 from 543,675. Port leaders credited cooling inflation, rising consumer confidence and an ongoing effort to recapture market share for the increase. It has seen container volumes for the first two months of the year rise 20.7% to 1,348,738.