Port of Los Angeles handles 890,861 TEUs

The Port of Los Angeles said on May 11 that it handled 890,861 twenty-foot equivalent units in April, up 5.7% from 842,806 a year earlier. The total made April the port’s second-best April on record, according to the port’s monthly cargo release. Executive Director Gene Seroka said April was the port’s strongest month of 2026 and the highest cargo volume since August 2025. The increase came as retailers and manufacturers kept moving goods despite uncertainty over tariffs and trade policy. ### Why does the April number matter beyond the headline total? April’s 890,861 TEUs matter because they were driven by imports, not a one-off gain in a smaller category. The Port of Los Angeles said loaded imports reached 459,825 TEUs, up 5% from a year earlier and 21% above March. That import figure is a direct read on cargo still coming through the San Pedro Bay gateway. The port said loaded exports were 127,726 TEUs, down 0.5% from a year earlier, while empty containers totaled 303,310 TEUs, up 10%. ### How does April compare with the port’s 2026 pace so far? Through April 30, the Port of Los Angeles said it had handled 3,279,704 TEUs in the first four months of 2026. The port said that was 2% ahead of its five-year average for the period but 2% below the pace set in the same stretch of 2025. That comparison matters because 2025 volumes were lifted by importers bringing cargo in early ahead of expected tariffs, according to Seroka and Transport Topics. In other words, April’s year-over-year increase came against a period that had already been elevated. ### What did Gene Seroka say is driving the cargo flow? Gene Seroka told reporters at the May briefing that “April was our strongest month this year and the highest cargo volume we’ve seen since last August.” He said the result was “a clear sign that the American consumer remains resilient,” according to the port’s release. Seroka also said retailers and manufacturers were continuing to move goods despite uncertainty and that, based on what the port was seeing in Asia, the next wave of imports tied to back-to-school and early holiday merchandise was already beginning to build. He said cargo was moving with no back-ups or delays. ### Where does trade policy fit into this cargo story? Transport Topics reported on June 2 that major U.S. ports were contending with geopolitical conflict, tariffs and policy shifts that are reshaping cargo flows and shipping costs. The Port of Los Angeles release used similar language, saying April demand held up despite ongoing uncertainty around tariffs and trade policy. Ambassador Katherine Tai joined Seroka at the port’s May cargo briefing. The port said Tai discussed the current trade policy landscape, tariffs, global supply chain dynamics and the outlook for U.S. trade policy. ### What should readers watch next in the port data? The Port of Los Angeles says monthly container statistics are published during the second half of the following month. That means May 2026 cargo figures will be posted later in June on the port’s container statistics pages. The next update will show whether the import build Seroka described — tied to back-to-school and early holiday goods — carried into May, and whether loaded imports remain near April’s 459,825-TEU level.