POLA and POLB set new June volume records

June volumes, for the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Port of Long Beach (POLB), respectively set new volume records, according to data issued by the ports this week.

Total June POLA volume—at 876,111 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—edged out June 2021 by 0.02%, for the highest-volume June in the port’s 115 years of operations.

POLA June imports—at 444,680 TEU—were off 5% annually, while up 12% compared to the previous five-year June average. Exports—at 93,890 TEU—fell 2.3% annually and have fallen in 39 of the last 44 months. Empty containers—at 338,041 TEU—saw an 8.14% annual increase.

On a year-to-date basis through June, total POLA volume—at 5,413,902 TEU—is essentially flat, down 0.26%, keeping pace with 2021, which set an all-time annual volume record.

On a media conference call earlier this week, POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka said that June was “another stellar month” for the port.

Seroka cited various factors for June’s strong performance.

“Retailers continued to replenish store and warehouse inventories, and despite inflation Americans are still spending on goods,” he said. “Though the latest Commerce Department data indicated an easing in consumer purchases in the month of May, we will continue to monitor this and other key data, such as the results of Amazon Prime Day, GDP numbers, and June retail sales to see if this is a true trend.”

Three key takeaways offered up by Seroka, in assessing year-to-date volumes, included:

• hitting the mark on an early Lunar New Year, handling inventory replenishment in the second quarter, and reduced waiting vessels by 75%, in order to be ready for an expected June Peak Season arrival
• cargo arriving in the second half of the year will look different than what is currently on the ground now, including things like back-to-school, fall fashion, Halloween, and year-end holiday goods coming across the Pacific in the weeks and months ahead, with imports expected to remain strong but tapered versus 2021; and
• a focus on improving the rail product, with now more than 29,000 rail containers on POLA docks, a tally he said should be closer to 9,000, with rail cargo sitting for an average of 7.5 days, when it should be two days of dwell time, adding nothing should be over the 9-plus day mark, while there are 20,000 containers in the all-important aging category at the moment

POLB data: Total Port of Long Beach volume—at 835,412 TEU—saw a 15.3% annual increase, topping June 2018’ by 83,224 TEU, as the new POLB June high. What’s more, port officials said that the second quarter was the port’s most active one on record, driven by increased consumer demand, with retailers stocking shelves in advance of back-to-school shopping.

Imports—at 415,677 TEU—increased 16.4%, and exports—at 115,303 TEU—fell 1.4%, Empty containers—at 304,433 TEU—saw a 21.6% annual gain.

Through the first six months of 2022, total POLB volume—at 5,007,778 TEU—is up 5.3% annually. And second quarter volume—at 2,547,119 TEU, topping the first quarter of 2022, the previous best quarter, by 86,460 TEU.

“We are anticipating a robust summer season as consumer demand continues to drive cargo to our docks,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero in a statement. “We expect to remain moderately busy in the coming months, and we will work to promptly process containers lingering at the Port.”