Cargo volume at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) dropped in October as the Californian port handled 678,429 TEUs, a 25% decrease from the same month in 2021. The Port of Los Angeles has processed 8,542,944 TEUs during the first 10 months of 2022, about 6% down from last year’s record pace.
“With cargo owners bringing goods in early this year, our peak season was in June and July instead of September and October,” commented POLA executive director, Gene Seroka.
He added, “cargo has shifted away from the West Coast as some shippers await the conclusion of labor contract negotiations. We’ll do everything in our power to get that cargo back because the best route between Asia and the United States is straight through the Port of Los Angeles.”
Additionally, loaded imports in October reached 336,307 TEUs, down 28% compared to the same month in the previous year. At the same time, loaded exports fell to 89,722 TEUs, a decline of 8.7% compared to last October, while empty boxes of the port were 252,401 TEUs, a 25% year-over-year drop.