Container volume at the Port of Los Angeles increased in May, with the Californian port handling 779,140 TEUs last month.
While this is translating to a drop of 19% compared to last May, at the same time, it represents a 60% increase in box throughput since February.
More specifically, in May 2023, the loaded imports reached 409,150 TEUs, down 18% compared to the previous year. Additionally, loaded exports fell by 19% year on year to 101,741 TEUs, while empty containers landed at 268,249 TEUs, a 22% year-over-year decline.
Moreover, during the first five months of 2023, the Port of Los Angeles handled 3,304,344 TEUs, representing a 27% decrease compared to the same period in 2022.
“Even with improving volume, our terminals are a long way from working at full capacity,” pointed out Port of Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka, who also noted that a completed labor contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), along with a healthy US economy, would boost waterfront jobs and cargo activity in the next months of the year.
