The Port of Long Beach saw decreased container traffic in April with dockworkers and terminal operators moving 656,049 TEUs last month, down 20.1% from April 2022, which was the port’s busiest April on record.
Long Beach imports declined 21.8% to 313,444 TEUs, while exports increased slightly by 0.6% to 122,663 TEUs. At the same time, empty boxes moving through the port decreased by 26.2% to 219,943 TEUs.
The US container port has moved 2,377,375 TEUs during the first four months of 2023, down 27.5% from the same period in 2022.
“The unprecedented consumer demand we saw at the height of COVID-19 has diminished and cargo flows are now closer to pre-pandemic levels,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.
He added, “We expect slow growth in the second half of 2023, as retailers continue to clear surplus inventory from their warehouses.”
