Port of Los Angeles August cargo remains strong as high volume continues

After reaching new cargo heights in July, Port of Los Angeles volume remained strong in August. The Port efficiently processed 958,355 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), nearly the same as last year’s robust performance.

“The Port of Los Angeles moved nearly 2 million containers in July and August combined,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said at a media briefing. "That’s the best two-month stretch for any port in the Western Hemisphere. Retailers and manufacturers have continued to bring goods in early, both to get ahead of holiday demand and to hedge against any shifts in trade policy.

“Looking forward,” Seroka added, “I expect container volumes to ease through the rest of 2025—especially against last year’s unusually high benchmarks. That’s because much of the year-end holiday cargo has already arrived. And economic signals like slowing job growth and lingering inflation are making both importers and consumers a bit more cautious.”

Vincent Iacopella, President of Trade and Government Relations at Alba Wheels Up International, joined Seroka for the briefing. An experienced customs broker and freight forwarder, Iacopella helps shippers navigate trade and supply chain challenges.

August 2025 loaded imports came in at 504,514 TEUs, 1% less than last year. Loaded exports landed at 127,379 TEUs, a 5% improvement from 2024. The Port processed 326,462 empty container units, 1% less than last year.

Eight months into 2025, the Port of Los Angeles has handled 6,934,004 TEUs, 4.5% more than the same period in 2024.

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 25 consecutive years. In 2024, the Port generated $333 billion in trade and handled a total of 10.3 million container units, sustaining its top rank among U.S. ports. The Port remains focused on community investment, commitment to sustainability and environmental leadership, workforce development, and infrastructure improvement. 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.