Port of Los Angeles Sets All-Time Monthly Cargo Record

Container Ship at the Port of Los Angeles by Corey Seeman, Creative Commons

LOS ANGELES — The Port of Los Angeles handled 1,042,652 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in September, the busiest month in its 118-year history and more than 20,000 units more than the previous monthly record set in July 2025.

The record month also capped the busiest quarter in port history, with nearly 3 million TEUs moving across its docks from July through September. From June through September, the port handled nearly 4 million TEUs, the strongest four-month stretch on record.

“September was a month for the record books, and it was part of an extraordinary run for the Port of Los Angeles,” said Seroka. “Consumer demand remains resilient, importers are replenishing inventories and more cargo is being allocated to Los Angeles as shippers navigate continued challenges along other global trade routes.

“Our waterfront workforce and supply chain partners have done a tremendous job handling these record volumes while keeping cargo moving,” Seroka added. “After the best month, quarter and four-month stretch in Port history, our focus is simple: finish the year strong and keep delivering for our customers.”

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During the port’s monthly media briefing, Seroka said tariffs are lower than levels seen earlier this year, giving importers more certainty on costs and allowing them to replenish inventories. He also pointed to continued consumer spending and challenges along the Suez and Panama Canal routes as factors contributing to the port’s historic cargo run.

Joining Seroka for the briefing was Harvard Business School Professor Willy Shih, a leading expert on global supply chains, manufacturing and innovation. Shih discussed how companies are adapting their sourcing and manufacturing strategies amid changes in trade policy, tariffs and global supply chains.

“Companies are moving from purely optimizing for cost to optimizing for options,” Shih said. “With so much uncertainty in global trade, businesses are looking for greater flexibility in where they source, manufacture and move their goods.”

Loaded imports reached 545,696 TEUs in September, up 19% compared with last September. Loaded exports totaled 125,751 TEUs, up 10% compared with last September. Empty containers totaled approximately 371,206 TEUs, the highest monthly total in Port history.

During the first nine months of 2026, the Port handled nearly 8.1 million TEUs, more than 3% ahead of the same period last year.