POLA Moves 779,140 Cargo Units in May

SAN PEDRO — For the third consecutive month, cargo volume at the Port of Los Angeles increased in May, with the port handling 779,140 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) for the month. While that is a drop of about 19% compared to last May, it represents a 60% increase in cargo since February.

“Even with improving volume, our terminals are a long way from working at full capacity,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka during a media briefing June 13. “We’re starting to see more vessels headed across the Pacific to Los Angeles, an encouraging sign for the second half of the year.”

Seroka noted that a completed labor contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association – along with a healthy U.S. economy – would boost waterfront jobs and cargo activity in the remainder of 2023.

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May 2023 loaded imports reached 409,150 TEUs, down 18% compared to the previous year. Loaded exports came in at 101,741 TEUs, a decline of 19% compared to last year. Empty containers landed at 268,249 TEUs, a 22% year-over-year decline.

During the first five months of 2023, the Port handled 3,304,344 TEUs, a 27% decline compared to the same period in 2022.