Port of Long Beach container volumes down 15.4% in August 2023
The Port of Long Beach saw a modest start to the traditional “peak” shipping season as warehouses remained overstocked and consumers continued to pivot toward travel and other summertime activities, according to the company's release.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 682,312 twenty-foot equivalent units last month, a 15.4% decline from August 2022. Imports decreased 15.4% to 325,436 TEUs, while exports were down 23.1% to 93,402 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port declined 12.5% to 263,474 TEUs.
The Port has moved 4,993,237 TEUs during the first eight months of 2023, down 24.4% from the same period last year. Cargo flows this year have been on pace with pre-pandemic levels, when the Port of Long Beach moved more than 4.9 million TEUs through August 2019.
The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the United States, including 575,000 in Southern California. In 2022, industry leaders named it “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for the fourth consecutive year. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $2.2 billion in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.
