Record July Container Volumes at U.S. Ports Amid Early Holiday Shipping

Record Gains Across U.S. Ports

U.S. ports are breaking records for this time of the year, fueled by an earlier-than-usual peak shipping season and the influx of back-to-school and holiday goods. July saw major gains across key ports as it gears up for the year-end rush.

Key Stats & Trends

• Port of Los Angeles: Processed 939,600 TEUs in July, up 37% from last year. This marked the best month in over two years and an 18% year-to-date increase.

“We’ve seen an influx of year-end holiday goods...to avoid any risk of delay later in the year,” said Executive Director Gene Seroka.

• Port of Long Beach: Hit a record with 882,376 containers, a 52.6% year-over-year increase. Year-to-date volume also surged 20%.

CEO Mario Cordero noted, “We’re in a strong position heading into the peak shipping season...cargo continues to move efficiently.”

• Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle & Tacoma): Combined volumes jumped 12.7% to 264,726 TEUs, thanks to increased vessel calls and voyage consistency.
• Port of Oakland: Reported an 18.8% rise to 184,467 TEUs, despite a few canceled sailings.
• Port Houston: Saw a slight decline of 5% to 325,277 containers, attributed to challenging weather and system outages. However, year-to-date volume is still up 10%.

Executive Director Roger Guenther said, “Our double-digit growth...underscores Port Houston’s resilience.”

• South Carolina Ports: Experienced a 7.8% rise to 224,407 TEUs, driven by peak season and regional population growth.

“The South Carolina market is ripe for companies to put new investment in the ground,” remarked SC Ports CEO Barbara Melvin.

• Port of New York and New Jersey: Reported its busiest July ever, with container volume increasing 11% to 806,015 TEUs, preparing for the upcoming holiday season.

Last month, we featured a story in our newsletter about the Top 10 U.S. Ports. Click below to see the full list.

🎣 Top 10 U.S. Ports

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Outlook for the Rest of 2024

Ports across the country are gearing up for continued growth as the year progresses. With early holiday shipping in full swing, the logistics industry is looking poised for a strong second half.

Source: Transport Topics