The Port of Los Angeles handled 487,846 TEUs in February, translating to a 43% drop from the all-time high in the same month last year.
The Californian port’s loaded imports totalled 249,407 TEUs, a 41% decrease from the previous year, and loaded exports reached 82,404 TEUs, a 14% decline from the last year. Meanwhile, empty containers totalled 156,035 TEUs, which represents a 54% year-on-year fall.
The port’s total container traffic reached 1,213,860 TEUs in the first two months of 2023, down 30% from 1,723,360 TEUs in 2022.
“February declines were exacerbated by an overall slowdown in global trade, extended Lunar New Year holiday closures in Asia, overstocked warehouses and a shift away from West Coast ports,” stated Gene Seroka, executive director of Port of Los Angeles.
Gene Seroka added, “While we expect more cargo moving to cross our docks in March, the volume will likely remain lighter than average in the first half of 2023.”
