The Port of Los Angeles handled a record 1,042,652 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in September 2026, driven by holiday retail stockpiling, reduced tariff uncertainty, and the diversion of cargo away from drought-restricted international shipping lanes, according to the Los Angeles Times and MarketScreener. The milestone marks the highest monthly volume ever recorded by any port in the Western Hemisphere, surpassing the previous record of 1,019,652 TEUs set in July 2025.
Cargo Volume Breakdown and Economic Impact
Loaded imports at the Port of Los Angeles reached 546,000 TEUs in September 2026, representing a 19% increase compared to the same month the previous year and sitting 26% above the port’s five-year average, according to the Los Angeles Times. MarketScreener reported that loaded full containers accounted for nearly 547,000 TEUs, marking a new record for the facility. Additionally, the port processed 371,000 empty containers and 126,000 loaded exports during the month.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated in a release that the port remains a vital economic engine locally and nationally, creating union jobs for residents and sustaining the city’s standing as a global leader in trade and commerce. Supply chain technology provider Descartes Systems reported that overall U.S. container imports reached 2.55 million TEUs in September, setting a single-month record as consumer spending remained resilient despite higher prices for everyday essentials like food and energy, according to MarketScreener.
Supply Chain Drivers and Canal Disruptions
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka attributed the surge to multiple converging factors, noting that current U.S. customs tariffs are lower than levels seen earlier in 2026 and throughout 2025. Seroka explained that these lower rates give importers greater cost certainty and allow them to rebuild inventories faster ahead of the holiday shopping season, as reported by the Los Angeles Times and MarketScreener.
MarketScreener and the Los Angeles Times noted that ongoing environmental and security challenges along the Suez and Panama canals are forcing carriers to reroute shipments. Seroka stated that vessels traveling from Asia are bypassing drought-affected Panama and choosing the West Coast route to reduce fuel consumption and utilize the fastest path to U.S. markets, noting that the port has handled these volumes without the major vessel queues seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Export Volumes and Regional Port Comparison
While import volumes surged, outbound shipments remained subdued. The Los Angeles Times reported that September loaded exports increased by 10% year-over-year but continued to trail imports, reflecting persistent challenges for American farmers and agricultural producers.
Neighboring the Port of Los Angeles within the San Pedro Bay port complex, the Port of Long Beach handled nearly 920,000 TEU containers in August—up 2% from the prior year, including 456,100 loaded imports—though it has not yet released its official September figures. Together, Los Angeles and Long Beach comprise the San Pedro Bay complex, the busiest container port operation in the world, which accounted for approximately 31% of all waterborne international container trade in the United States during 2025, according to the Los Angeles Times.