ports

Los Angeles Port Surges Past East Coast Rivals on Strong Consumer Demand

The Port of Los Angeles posted its strongest performance of 2026 in April, with container traffic climbing 5% year-over-year as loaded imports reached 459,825 teu, up 21% from the previous month. Empty container volumes grew 10% to 303,310 teu, while exports declined marginally. Port leadership attributed the surge to resilient consumer spending and steady domestic manufacturing activity. The four-month cumulative total of 3,279,704 teu ran 2% ahead of the five-year average. Meanwhile, East Coast ports experienced significant contraction, with the Port of New York & New Jersey dropping 18.4% month-over-month and Norfolk declining 18%. Container volumes at the nation's ten largest ports fell 1.4% from March. West Coast ports captured 44.3% of national market share in March, while East and Gulf Coast facilities combined for just 39%.