The Port of Los Angeles (POLA) has handled 958,674 TEU in March, which is its third consecutive monthly cargo record, while the port completed its best first quarter ever, tracking 3.5% above last year’s record.
“With improved fluidity on our docks and fewer vessels waiting to enter the port, our terminals are processing cargo at record levels. Yet we’re not taking anything for granted. We’re using our Port Optimizer data to find developing issues and adjust to market demands,” commented POLA executive director, Gene Seroka, who announced the latest cargo data during a media briefing.
March container volumes represent the third-best month ever in the Californian port's 115-year history, just behind the 1,012,048 TEU recorded last May and 980,729 TEU in October 2020.
Loaded imports reached 495,196 TEUs compared to the previous year, marking a slight increase of 1%, while loaded exports have again declined by 9% to 11,781 TEU. Exports have now declined in 37 of the last 41 months in Los Angeles. At the same time, empty containers climbed to 351,697 TEUs, a jump of 2% compared to last year.
The Port of Los Angeles noted that for the first three months of 2022, overall cargo volume has reached 2,682,034 TEU, which translates to a 3.5% increase compared to 2021.
