The Port of Los Angeles maintained its robust momentum into February, building on a record-breaking start to the year.
The port handled 801,398 twenty-foot equivalent units, marking a 2.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024 and the second-busiest February in the port’s history.
This impressive performance is part of a larger trend of year-over-year cargo growth in 17 of the past 19 months.
Breaking down the February figures, loaded imports reached 413,236 TEUs, a slight 1% increase from the previous year. However, loaded exports saw a significant drop of 18%, coming in at 109,156 TEUs. The processing of empty containers rose by 16% to 279,006 TEUs.
The cumulative figures for the first two months of 2025 showed volume of 1,725,643 TEUs, representing a 5.4% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, in a release accompanying a media presentation, said that despite the current positive trends, potential challenges lie ahead in the latter half of the year. He noted that many retailers and manufacturers have been importing goods earlier than usual as a precautionary measure against potential tariffs. This strategy, combined with the substantial inventory already present and the uncertainty surrounding tariffs, could lead to as much as a 10% volume decline in the second half of 2025.
“Here in Los Angeles, we will continue to look for new opportunities to bring more business through our gateway,” Seroka said.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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