Ports

Long Beach Port Poised to Exceed 10 Million TEU Milestone in 2026

The Port of Long Beach is on track to handle more than 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units this year, marking a historic first for the California gateway. September delivered the port's strongest month on record with throughput reaching 997,177 TEU, eclipsing the previous peak set in October 2024. Through the first nine months of 2026, Long Beach has processed nearly 7.9 million TEU, reflecting substantial year-over-year growth. Port leadership attributes the surge to shipper front-loading activity ahead of anticipated tariff measures on Chinese-owned vessels, Panama Canal reliability concerns amid environmental pressures, and volatile fuel pricing. The recent postponement of threatened port fees has reset market expectations, with additional import acceleration expected before new regulatory measures take effect.