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Port of Long Beach. | Photo courtesy of Dennis Schroeder/NREL (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Cargo volume at both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach remained soft in November, as cargo continues to shift away from the West Coast and to the East and Gulf coasts due to ongoing labor negotiations.
Talks involving employers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents at least 20,000 port workers on the West Coast, have been ongoing since their contract expired in July.
The Port of Los Angeles saw a 21% decrease in cargo last month compared to November 2021, handling 639,344 twenty-foot equivalent units. The port has also experienced a 21% decrease overall in cargo this year, compared to last year’s record mark.
Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said the port will have to work “harder and smarter to earn cargo back.”
“Every ship, every train, every truck needs to be handled with the top-level service our customers expect and deserve,” Seroka said.
At the Port of Long Beach, cargo volume was also down 21% last month compared to November 2021, with 588,742 twenty-foot equivalent units processed.
Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, expressed confidence that a “good portion” of the import volume that shifted to other seaports will return to the San Pedro Bay.
“As we move toward normalization of the supply chain, it’s time to refocus our efforts on engaging in sustainable and transformative operations that will secure our place as a leader in trans-Pacific trade,” Cordero said.
