Port of Los Angeles moves 779,140 cargo units in May

For the third consecutive month, cargo volume at the Port of Los Angeles increased in May, with the Port handling 779,140 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) for the month. While that is a drop of about 19% compared to last May, it represents a 60% increase in cargo since February.

“Even with improving volume, our terminals are a long way from working at full capacity,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka during a media briefing on Tuesday. “We’re starting to see more vessels headed across the Pacific to Los Angeles, an encouraging sign for the second half of the year.”

Seroka noted that a completed labor contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association – along with a healthy U.S. economy – would boost waterfront jobs and cargo activity in the remainder of 2023.

May 2023 loaded imports reached 409,150 TEUs, down 18% compared to the previous year. Loaded exports came in at 101,741 TEUs, a decline of 19% compared to last year. Empty containers landed at 268,249 TEUs, a 22% year-over-year decline.

During the first five months of 2023, the Port handled 3,304,344 TEUs, a 27% decline compared to the same period in 2022.