U.S. container imports drop sharply! Los Angeles and Long Beach ports experience the quietest November

It is learned that according to foreign media reports, in November, the container throughput of ports on the West Coast and East Coast of the United States declined. The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents shipping companies and terminal operators, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which represents dock workers, have not yet reached an agreement, causing serious disruption to the throughput of US ports.

U.S. West Coast container imports continue to decline

In November, the Port of Los Angeles handled 639,000 TEUs, down 21.2% year-on-year. Imports fell 24% year-on-year to 307,000 TEUs. Compared with October, imports in November fell 17%, and compared with the same period in 2019, imports increased 17%.

“Import volume growth at West Coast ports has flattened,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. “Due to the ongoing labor negotiations between the PMA and ILWU, cargo has been diverted to other ports. Once this issue is resolved, we will hopefully see more cargo return to the West Coast from temporary routes from the East Coast.”

The Port of Long Beach handled 589,000 TEUs in November, down 24.8% year-on-year. Imports fell 28% year-on-year to 259,000 TEUs. Compared with October, imports in November fell 12%, and compared with the same period in 2019, imports increased 11.5%.

“While some import volumes have shifted to other ports, a significant portion of that volume will return to the Port of Long Beach going forward,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “As we move toward supply chain normalization, now is the time to refocus our efforts on engaging in sustainable and transformational business that will ensure our leadership in the transpacific trade lane.”

U.S. East Coast container imports also fell

The Port of Savannah reported total November throughput of 465,000 TEUs, down 6.2% year-over-year. In November 2021, the port handled 496,000 TEUs.

“Container trade activity at U.S. ports is returning to a more sustainable growth pattern, which is a positive development for the logistics industry,” said Griff Lynch, executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority. “Ports are processing faster as volumes decline due to weaker consumer demand.”

The South Carolina Ports Authority, which operates the Port of Charleston, reported November volumes fell 15% year-on-year to 213,000 TEUs, compared with 251,000 TEUs in the same period last year.

Like the Port of Savannah, South Carolina’s port facilities also had a lackluster November performance, with the Port of Virginia reporting a 1.7% year-over-year decline in throughput to 286,000 TEUs.

Editor ✎ Nicole/

Disclaimer: This article is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission.