The Port of Los Angeles saw its busiest month in history last month, when the nation’s busiest seaport handled 980,729 TEUs, according to the latest numbers released last week.
That’s 27.3 percent more than October 2019, an increase port officials are attributing to retailers stocking up for the holiday shopping season. The previous record took place in August with 961,833 TEUs.
Los Angeles moved 506,613 TEUs in loaded imports and 143,936 TEUs of loaded exports last month.
“Overall volume has been strong yet the trade imbalance remains a concern,” said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka. “For every three and a half containers that are imported into Los Angeles from abroad, only one container leaves filled with U.S. exports. One-way trade will not put Americans back to work and it adds logistical challenges to the supply chain.”
But with COVID-19 cases trending upward, significant swings in the supply chain are likely to continue, Seroka said. “With COVID-19 cases on the rise nationwide, the U.S. economic outlook remains uncertain,” Seroka said. “Volume swings like the one we are seeing are an outgrowth of this uncertainty. We are using Port Optimizer™ data and the expertise of our supply chain partners to prepare for a range of scenarios to respond to market demands in the months ahead.”
