US Ports See Softening Volumes to End a Bumpy Year: Supply Lines

A topsy-turvy year for seaborne cargo through US ports will likely end up posting volumes similar to 2024 thanks to steady consumer demand after a first half buoyed by front-loaded shipments, according to operators of major American container gateways.

The Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s busiest maritime trade facility, processed some 848,400 containers measured in 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in October, down about 6% from the same month last year. About 429,300 of those were loaded with imports, a 7% decline compared to October last year. Loaded exports, which accounted for about 15% of the total, were ...