Both POLA and POLB Report Second-Busiest Years on Record

POLA Reports 9.9 Million Container Units in 2022; Second Highest Year on Record

SAN PEDRO — At his annual State of the Port address, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka announced cargo volumes of nearly 10 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units for 2022, the second highest in the port’s 115-year history.

Watch the full video  https://tinyurl.com/2fzh97t2 

Seroka outlined priorities for 2023, pledging to focus on economic growth and job creation, improving the quality of life for surrounding port communities and furthering sustainable, zero-emission business operations.

Seroka said the port will continue to lead technology innovation in the maritime industry to drive further efficiency. He announced new features to its Port Optimizer™ digital tracking portal, including providing exporters more predictability and tracking capability on outbound shipping services.

The port’s sustainability and environmental programs were cited during the speech as a top priority in the coming year. Port initiatives in 2023 include continued planning for new green shipping corridors with the ports of Shanghai and Singapore to reduce emissions along these trade routes and promoting more clean fuel usage, new ship technologies and best practices.

Work will continue in 2023 on development and deployment of port zero-emission cargo-handling and other equipment, as well as deployment of more clean trucks funded by the Clean Truck Fund Rate. Seroka announced the port will be part of a statewide coalition that will apply for a $1.4 billion U.S. Department of Energy grant to establish a green hydrogen hub at the San Pedro Bay port complex. All these projects are aimed at helping the port achieve its goals of zero-emission cargo-handling equipment by 2030, and zero-emission trucks by 2035.

And in Long Beach, The Port of Long Beach marked its second-busiest year on record by moving 9.13 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2022, allowing for a return to normal operations. 

The port ended 2022 with 9,133,657 TEUs moved, down 2.7% from 2021, which remains the Port’s most active year in its 112-year history.

Imports declined 4.9% to 4,358,789 TEUs, while exports totaled 1,414,882 TEUs, down 1.6%. Despite the decline, the Port of Long Beach remained the nation’s leading export port for a second consecutive year, for loaded TEUs. Empty containers processed through the port decreased a narrow 0.14% from a year earlier to 3,359,986 TEUs.

A rise in online purchases and aggressive efforts to transfer long-dwelling cargo off the docks bolstered trade moving through the port during the first half of 2022, with monthly cargo records in January, February, March, April, June and July.

Consumer spending cooled by summer due to rising prices driven by inflation, while vessel transfers between the San Pedro Bay ports and a shift in imported goods toward the Gulf and East coasts contributed to a softening of cargo volume during the second half of 2022.

The easing returned the port to normal operations by year’s end. Economists are forecasting a further decline in cargo volumes through 2023 as consumers shift their purchases to services over goods. 

Trade was down 27.9% in December compared to the same period in 2021 with 544,104 TEUs moved. Imports dropped 32.6% to 241,643 TEUs while exports increased 1.6% to 115,782 TEUs. Empty containers were down 33.7% to 186,680 TEUs.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/container-statistics.