The Port of Long Beach reached its busiest March and its most active quarter on record as long-dwelling cargo continued to move out of marine terminals, according to the company's release.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 863,156 twenty-foot equivalent units of container cargo last month, up 2.7% from the previous record set in March 2021. Imports increased 4.7% to 427,280 TEUs, while exports declined 18.3% to 114,185 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the Port jumped 10% to 321,691 TEUs.
Although March is traditionally one of the slowest months on the shipping calendar, the Port continues to be busier amid efforts to clear cargo from the docks and reduce the number of vessels waiting to enter the port complex.
The Port delayed the start of a “Container Dwell Fee” that would charge ocean carriers for containers that remain too long on the docks. Still, the San Pedro Bay ports – Long Beach and Los Angeles combined – have seen a 49% decline in aging cargo on the docks since the program was announced on Oct. 25.
The Port has moved 2,460,659 TEUs during the first quarter of 2022, a 3.6% increase from the same period in 2021. It was also the Port’s best quarter overall, breaking the previous record set during the fourth quarter of 2020 by 54,649 TEUs.
The Port of Long Beach is a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. As the second-busiest container seaport in the United States, the Port handles trade valued at more than $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million trade-related jobs across the nation, including 575,000 in Southern California.