Cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach dropped 21% last month year over year, according to new data released Dec. 14 by the Southern California seaport.
Long Beach moved 588,742 TEUs overall in November, with imports falling 28.4% to 259,442 TEUs and empty containers tumbling 25.2% to 204,313 TEUs when compared to the same time last year.
However, exports surged 13.8% to 124,988 TEUs. Long Beach moved almost 1.3 million TEUs through the first 11 months of this year and 1.44 million TEUs of loaded exports in 2021.
Fewer orders from retailers, warehouses at capacity, vessel transfers between the San Pedro Bay ports and goods shifting toward East and Gulf coast seaports all played a role in Long Beach’s lower cargo numbers.
“While some import volume has shifted to other gateways, we are confident that a good portion of it will return to the San Pedro Bay,” Executive Director Mario Cordero explained. “As we move toward normalization of the supply chain, it’s time to refocus our efforts on engaging in sustainable and transformative operations that will secure our place as a leader in trans-Pacific trade.”
So far this year, the port has processed more than 8.58 million TEUs, dipping 0.5% from the same period in 2021, which was the port’s busiest year ever.
