Port of Los Angeles Records Best June Ever, Tops 1 Million Container Units

LOS ANGELES — Dockworkers at the Port of Los Angeles moved 1,002,734 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in June, making it the busiest June in the port’s 118-year history and the third time monthly cargo volume has ever exceeded 1 million container units. No other port in the Western Hemisphere has ever surpassed the 1 million container mark in a single month.

June cargo was 12% higher than a year ago, driven by strong import demand as retailers and manufacturers continued advancing shipments while navigating evolving trade policy, rising fuel costs and global supply chain uncertainty.

“Crossing the 1 million container mark for the third time and closing our fiscal year with more than 10.4 million TEUs are remarkable accomplishments,” said Executive Director Gene Seroka. “These milestones reflect the consistency of the Port of Los Angeles and the people who make them possible every day.

“We achieved these results without vessel backlogs or cargo delays,” Seroka added, “Thanks to the women and men of the ILWU, our terminal operators, truckers, rail partners and everyone across our supply chain whose professionalism and commitment continue to make Los Angeles the nation’s premier gateway.”

During the port’s monthly media briefing, Seroka said businesses continue adapting to an unusually dynamic trade environment by moving cargo whenever conditions are favorable rather than following traditional seasonal shipping patterns.

Joining Seroka for the briefing was Professor Douglas Irwin of Dartmouth College, one of the nation’s leading experts on international trade and U.S. trade policy. Irwin discussed the outlook for tariffs, global commerce and the broader forces shaping supply chain decisions. 

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Loaded imports reached 530,558 TEUs, an increase of 13% compared with last year and the port’s third-highest import month on record. Loaded exports totaled 126,365 TEUs, unchanged from a year ago. Empty containers came in at 345,811 TEUs, up 17% year over year as equipment returned to Asia to support continued demand.

During the first six months of 2026, the port handled 5,122,603 TEUs, 3% ahead of the same period last year.