Port of Los Angeles Sets September Volume Record

The Port of Los Angeles set a volume record in September, processing 1.04 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Loaded containers also reached a new high of nearly 547,000 TEUs. This surge coincided with a broader national trend, as Descartes Systems Group reported that total United States container imports hit a September record of 2.55 million TEUs.

Executive Director Gene Seroka attributed the growth to the early arrival of holiday goods and a shift in shipping routes. Importers increasingly chose the shortest path from China to reduce fuel costs, while others diverted ships away from the drought-stricken Panama Canal. Seroka also noted that shipments of artificial intelligence equipment, particularly data center cooling components, contributed to the increase.

Seroka stated that lower tariffs compared to previous years provided importers with more cost certainty, which allowed them to replenish inventories more quickly. While the port expects to process 900,000 TEUs in October, Seroka warned that future trade announcements from Washington could introduce new uncertainty into the market.