Port of Los Angeles Had Second Busiest Year on Record in 2024
- ‘Post-globalization’ era brings uncertainty to maritime trade
- Imports surged last year as companies tried to beat tariffs
The LA and Long Beach ports — which together account for roughly a third of all US containerized imports — handled roughly 10,086,000 TEUs combined of imported goods last year.
Photographer: Eric Thayer/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The busiest US seaport finished 2024 with near-record trade volumes as tariff uncertainty and supply chain diversions brought a sustained wave of imports through Southern California.
Cargo handlers at the Port of Los Angeles moved 10.3 million containers in 2024, marking the trade hub’s second-best year, Executive Director Gene Seroka said Thursday. That’s a roughly 20% increase in volume over 2023 and “the largest incremental year-on-year gain that we’ve ever seen,” he said.