Consumer demand fires strong July for LA port

The Port of Los Angeles processed a record-high 960,464 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, securing the second-largest July total in the port's history. This surge follows June's record-breaking 1 million TEUs, leaving July just shy of that mark. Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, noted that businesses continue to move cargo amidst an evolving trade environment, while resilient consumer demand is keeping imports at historically strong levels.

July's volume was 6% below the same month last year, when shippers aimed to frontload cargo due to impending trade policy changes, yet still 7.5% above the port's five-year July average. Loaded imports amounted to 499,552 TEUs, a 8% decrease from 2025's record month but 6% above the five-year average. Loaded exports totaled 111,776 TEUs, marking an 8% year-over-year decline.

Empty containers moved at 349,137 TEUs, down 2% from the previous year. For the first seven months of 2026, the port handled 6,083,067 TEUs, a 1.8% increase from the same period last year. Seroka anticipates another strong August, citing consumer demand as the primary factor for the remainder of the year. He also highlighted the port's capacity to absorb more cargo if shifting global trade routes divert volume toward Los Angeles.