The Port of Long Beach recorded its busiest March ever for cargo volumes, according to data released Thursday, April 14.
Long Beach handled 863,156 TEUs during the month, a 2.7% uptick from March 2021. Imports rose 4.7% to 427,280 TEUs, while exports fell 18.3% to 114,185 TEUs year over year. Empty containers rose 10% to 321,691 TEUs, port data show.
March is typically a slow month for shipping but the port has been working diligently to lower the amount of older containers from terminals and the number of ships waiting to come into the port.
“Imports are on the rise as we continue to clear the line of ships waiting to enter our port and move containers off the docks,” port Executive Director Mario Cordero said. “Collaborating with our industry stakeholders has led to notable improvements across the supply chain.”
Meanwhile, the POLB posted a 3.6% jump from the first quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022, when the port moved 2,460,659 TEUs. Q1 2022 was the port’s best quarter on record, data show.
