Cargo container traffic slowed at the Port of Long Beach in April as consumers continued to limit purchases and shippers shuffled trade from the West Coast to seaports on the East and Gulf coasts, according to the company's release.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 656,049 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, down 20.1% from April 2022, which was the Port’s busiest April on record. Imports declined 21.8% to 313,444 TEUs, while exports increased a narrow 0.6% to 122,663 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port decreased 26.2% to 219,943 TEUs.
Economists say consumer spending has softened since the start of the year, while the Federal Reserve’s interest rate adjustments have slowed inflation as intended.
The Port has moved 2,377,375 TEUs during the first four months of 2023, down 27.5% from the same period in 2022.
The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the United States, including 575,000 in Southern California.