The Port of Long Beach announced that they had their busiest September on record thanks to a renewed labor contract and consumer demand for holiday-related goods.
The seaport operators moved 829,429 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in September, up 11.8% from the same month last year and surpassing the previous record set in September 2020 by 78,849 TEUs.
“Consumer confidence is on the rise and shippers can rely on the Port of Choice now that we have a ratified contract in place with our waterfront workforce,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero.
Imports rose 19.3% to 408,926 TEUs, while exports declined 10.3% to 101,248 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port grew 11.5% to 319,255 TEUs.
According to the port's website, the Long Beach Port "handles trade valued at $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the nation, more than 575,000 in Southern California, and more than 50,000 jobs... in Long Beach."
Both the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are major gateways to Asian markets and are essential for the agriculture industry.