Resilient consumer demand continues to drive high volumes of cargo through the Port of Long Beach, which handled a record number of containers for the month of July.

Dockworkers and terminals moved 784,845 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, a 4.2% increase from the same month a year ago. July 2020, with 753,081 TEUs, was the previous “best July.” Imports slightly grew last month, at 382,940 TEUs, a 1.6% increase, while exports decreased 20.7% year-over-year to 109,951 TEUs. Empties moved out of Long Beach ballooned 22.8%, to 291,955 TEUs.

“Ships arrived last month to move these empty containers out of the harbor and clear valuable terminal space as we handle historic amounts of trade,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “These boxes are a valuable commodity in the overstressed global supply chain. Our loaded exports are likely to rebound this month.”

“Our dockworkers and industry partners have risked their health to keep the gears of our economy turning during this pandemic,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Steven Neal. “We thank them, and acknowledge their service as we continue a remarkable run of records at the Port of Long Beach.”

With the July result, the Port of Long Beach has broken monthly cargo records in 12 of the last 13 months. Through July, the Port has processed 5,538,673 TEUs, a 32.3% increase over the same period in 2020. For detailed cargo statistics, visit www.polb.com/stats.

The global pandemic continues to impact trade volumes. An outbreak at the Port of Yantian in China delayed some vessels that called at the Port of Long Beach in July. It is likely that increasing COVID-19 cases in Vietnam will disrupt supplies in the months ahead as factories shut down to contain outbreaks of the virus.

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans­-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $200 billion in trade annually, supporting more than 575,000 Southern California jobs.