According to the company’s release, the Port of Long Beach achieved its most active June and busiest quarter on record, boosted by increased consumer demand as retailers stock shelves for back-to-school shopping.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 835,412 twenty-foot equivalent units in June, up 15.3% from the same month last year, surpassing the previous record set in June 2018 by 83,224 TEUs. Imports rose 16.4% to 415,677 TEUs, while exports saw a 1.4% decrease to 115,303 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the Port jumped 21.6% to 304,433 TEUs.
The cargo influx arrived as pandemic-induced shutdowns were lifted in China, retailers stocked up on back-to-school supplies, and consumer demand continued to be robust despite inflation and the potential threat of an economic recession in 2023. Due to the healthy job market, consumer spending is anticipated to remain strong through the end of this year. Still, rising costs for food, gasoline, utilities, and other goods are a blow to consumer confidence.
The Port moved 5,007,778 TEUs during the first half of 2022, up 5.3% from last year. It was also the Port’s best quarter overall, with 2,547,119 TEUs moved from April 1 to June 30, breaking the previous record set during the first quarter of 2022 by 86,460 TEUs.
Source: Port News
