In 2023, U.S. West Coast ports saw their loaded imports and exports fall from the previous year and the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, according to the latest West Coast Trade Report published Feb. 21 by Pacific Merchant Shipping Association.
The seven U.S. West Coast seaports tracked by PMSA processed more than 10.3 million inbound loads last year. That’s 12.2% down from the previous year and down 5.4% from the pre-pandemic level of 2019.
Meanwhile, the seven ports monitored by PMSA — Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, San Diego and Hueneme in California and the Northwest Seaport Alliance gateway of Seattle and Tacoma — moved more than 3.9 million outbound loads in 2023, falling 22.8% from 2019, according to the trade report.
U.S. West Coast seaports handled 44.2% of inbound cargo in December but about 43.9% for the year, the report said.
“Both represented gains from the preceding year, but both were significantly below the shares USWC ports enjoyed in 2019 when 48% of all inbound loads passed through America’s Pacific Coast ports,” according to PMSA.
The ports also moved 34.1% of outbound cargo last year, dipping from 34.6% in 2022 and from 38.9% in 2019. However, ports did see an uptick in exports in December from the prior year.
