Container volumes through the Los Angeles–Long Beach gateway climbed to more than 1.78 million TEUs in June, marking the busiest month of the year to date and one of the strongest showings in recent years. The combined total at the San Pedro Bay complex represented a clear step up from nearly 1.6 million TEUs in June a year earlier.
Port officials said the performance underscores steady demand and a supply chain that continues to adapt. They also noted that the timing of the annual import surge may be evolving as trade policy changes under U.S. President Donald Trump reshape ordering patterns and routing decisions.
“These results demonstrate the continued confidence cargo owners and supply chain partners have in us, the resilience of the supply chain and the continued demand for goods moving through our gateway,” Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Noel Hacegaba said. “Businesses across the shipping and logistics industry continue planning for a range of scenarios as they work to build more resilient and diversified supply chains.”
June by the numbers
The Port of Los Angeles surpassed the one‑million‑TEU threshold for only the third time in its history, remaining the only port in the Western Hemisphere to have ever crossed that monthly mark, according to the port. Long Beach posted its third‑busiest June on record.
| Port | Total TEUs (June) | Loaded Imports | Change vs. year ago | Loaded Exports | Change vs. year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 1,000,000+ TEUs | 530,558 | +13% | 126,365 | Flat |
| Long Beach | 779,331 TEUs | 387,025 | +11% | 86,464 | −1.3% |
The remainder of the monthly total consisted of empty containers moving both ways, with a heavier tilt toward outbound empties.
What it signals for supply chains
For cargo owners and logistics providers, the figures point to three themes:
- Demand resilience: Higher loaded imports at both ports suggest continued goods consumption requiring earlier orders and steady sailing schedules.
- Operational consistency: Hitting the one‑million‑TEU mark in Los Angeles again underscores available capacity and throughput needed for peak planning.
- Timing shifts: Executives indicated the traditional peak season could be moving on the calendar as trade policies evolve, prompting broader scenario planning.
On a cumulative basis, the two ports have processed more than 9.52 million TEUs so far this year. Los Angeles reported closing its fiscal year with over 10.4 million TEUs, reinforcing the gateway’s role in moving consumer and industrial goods across North America.
“Crossing the 1 million container mark for the third time and closing our fiscal year with more than 10.4 million TEUs are remarkable accomplishments,” Port of L.A. Executive Director Gene Seroka said. “These milestones reflect the consistency of the Port of Los Angeles and the people who make them possible every day.”
Why businesses should watch this
For importers and exporters that rely on trans‑Pacific services, June’s surge is a practical barometer for planning inventory, booking space and coordinating inland distribution. A busier gateway can concentrate equipment and labour where it is needed, but it also raises the stakes on timing: early bookings, lead‑time buffers and diversified routings become more relevant when demand accelerates. Port leaders’ emphasis on resilience and diversification mirrors the strategies many shippers are using to manage policy uncertainty and maintain service reliability.
