Port of LA
The Port of Los Angeles processed 883,053 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) in September. “While cargo eased 7.5% compared to last year, it helped propel the Port to its best quarter on record,” the Port reported Oct. 10.
September 2025 loaded imports came in at 460,044 TEUs, 7.6% less than last year. Loaded exports landed at 114,693 TEUs, about the same as 2024. The Port handled 308,317 empty container units, 10% less than last year.
According to the Port, it closed out the third quarter moving 2.9 million TEUs, its best three-month quarter ever. Nine months into 2025, the Port has handled 7,817,057 TEUs, 3% more than the same period in 2024.
“As trade policy unfolds, we can only predict more unpredictability,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said. “When sweeping changes were first announced, importers abruptly stopped their orders from China. When those policies were softened and deadlines extended, cargo volume picked up again. The supply chain has been on a roller coaster all year and that ride continues. Approximately 20% of vessels that call at the Port of Los Angeles are China-made. Some cargo-handling equipment and cranes are also manufactured in China. Tariffs in one area tend to lead to rising prices in other segments. In the end, making goods more expensive.”
Current and historical cargo data, including fiscal year-end totals, are available here.
Meanwhile, the Port of Los Angeles said it is furthering its progress in reducing pollution from all sources that move cargo through its gateway. In 2024, when the Port saw a 19% year-over-year increase in container volume, it recorded its best year ever for reducing emissions on a per container basis, according to the Port’s new Inventory of Air Emissions.
Since 2005, the Port has cut overall emissions of diesel particulate matter (DPM) by 90%, sulfur oxides (SOx) by 98%, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 73%. For every 10,000 containers, emissions of DPM, SOx, and NOx are down 93%, 99%, and 81%, respectively.
Each year, the Port inventories air pollution from ships, trucks, trains, harbor craft, and cargo-handling equipment to measure the results of its clean air strategies and programs. The Port also evaluates its progress on a per container basis to analyze the efficiency of its pollution reduction initiatives. The new report, it said, is based on trade activity during calendar year 2024.
In addition to ground-level pollution, the Port said its clean air strategies target greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that contribute to climate change. Overall, Port measures have resulted in an 18% reduction in GHGs since 2005; on a per container basis, GHGs are down 40%.
The Port in 2024 handled nearly 10.3 million TEUs. The 19% year-over-year increase in container volume is said to be the largest annual percentage increase in Port history. The boost led to single-digit increases of DPM and GHG emissions, both up 8% and SOx up 5% from 2023. NOx emissions remained flat at their 2023 level.
Long-term trends and strategies reducing emissions include fewer ships, each with greater capacity, delivering more cargo, according to the Port. With these newer, more efficient vessels, container ship arrivals have fallen 34% while container volume has grown 38% since 2005, the Port noted.
The ongoing shift to cleaner-burning fuels, zero-emissions technology, and cleaner ships, trucks, and cargo-handling equipment is also driving better air quality, the Port reported. Improvements in data analytics, technology, operations, and advanced planning create additional efficiencies that lower emissions while keeping cargo moving.
The Port also tracks its near-term progress. Since 2017 when the Port updated its Clean Air Action Plan, emissions of DPM, NOx, SOx, and GHGs have been down 12%, 34%, 24%, and 6%, respectively, the Port reported. The findings, it said, reflect clean air gains made in recent years.
Prior to the annual inventory’s release, regional, state, and federal air regulatory agencies review the data and findings. Their review is said to validate Port progress and help shape how the Port moves forward to achieve its zero-emissions goals.
The Port said it is continuing to pursue a combination of lease requirements, incentive programs, grants, and partnerships to accelerate the transition to cleaner equipment and practices. The Port noted that its measures include international initiatives to decarbonize the global shipping industry focused on collaborating with major ports in Asia to reduce GHGs by developing green shipping corridors.
“Thanks to our core strategies, we continue to see the significant long-term air quality gains we have achieved with our partners and programs,” Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Lucille Roybal-Allard said. “Going forward, we remain committed to our ultimate goal of eliminating emissions from port-related sources.”
“Two decades ago, we made a commitment to grow green,” Port of Los Angeles’ Gene Seroka added. “The report shows we are doing just that—moving cargo more sustainably than ever, while driving cargo volume increases.”
POLB
“Softening consumer demand and rising prices driven by shifting trade policies led to a decline in cargo containers moved through the Port of Long Beach in September,” the Port reported Oct. 17.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 797,537 TEUs of cargo containers last month, down 3.9% from September 2024. Imports dipped 6.9% to 388,084 TEUs and exports declined 3.6% to 85,081 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port were up by 161 containers to 324,372 TEUs.
“Tariffs are impacting how consumers and business owners make financial decisions and purchases,” POLB CEO Mario Cordero said. “Our Supply Chain Information Highway digital cargo tracker is forecasting a relatively stable October, followed by a slight decline in November due to anticipated weather-related delays and vessel scheduling changes.”
“I commend our industry and labor partners for their continued hard work to keep goods moving through the Port,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna added. “Our reputation as the primary gateway for trans-Pacific trade relies on our ability to ensure the swift, reliable and sustainable shipment of goods.”
The Port has moved 7,390,245 TEUs through the first nine months of 2025, up 6.8% from the same period in 2024. The Port’s second-busiest quarter on record was between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2025, with 2,643,614 TEUs moved.
For complete cargo numbers, click here.
SC Ports
SC Ports on Oct. 16 reported ending the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 with “steady container volumes and strong year-over-year growth for both inland ports and vehicle volumes.”
The Port of Charleston handled 212,363 TEUs in September, which SC Ports called “a slight dip below planned volumes as broader trade constrictions are being felt across the industry.”
Recently expanded Inland Port Greer recorded 17,818 rail moves, an 18% year-over-year increase. According to SC Ports, this marked the highest September on record for the upstate intermodal facility. The inland port’s continued growth comes as Isuzu broke ground on its new production base in nearby Greenville County.
Additionally, Inland Port Dillon broke another all-time monthly record with 4,888 rail moves, a 275% increase over last September, SC Ports said.
“South Carolina’s ability to attract new business and grow statewide employment makes our Port stronger,” SC Ports President and CEO Micah Mallace said. “As the industry begins to feel the effects of a downturn following the 90-day tariff delay, the investments companies have made in our state allow us to compensate for tempered container volumes elsewhere in our business. The continued growth of our inland port network and boost in vehicle volumes are a reflection of that.”
According to SC Ports, South Carolina’s maritime community moved 16,122 vehicles through its Columbus Street Terminal, a 6% year-over-year increase, marking the third consecutive month of year-over-year growth.
