Port of Los Angeles cargo volumes dip in March and Q1

Port of Los Angeles cargo volumes declined in March. They also fell in the first quarter of 2026. In March, the port handled 752,520 TEUs, down 3% from the same month of 2025. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Port of Los Angeles cargo volumes in March

Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, spoke at a media briefing. Still, he said March cargo activity remained solid. The seasonal slowdown was tied to Lunar New Year factory shutdowns in China. At the same time, he cited unsettled tariff policies and inflation. He also cited the economic effects of the conflict in the Middle East. He said those factors are weighing on consumers and shippers, according to the Port of Los Angeles.

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Also, loaded imports totaled 380,733 TEUs in March, down 1%. The port’s 2026 container statistics list that figure. Meanwhile, loaded exports reached 132,129 TEUs, up 7%. That made exports the only category to increase. In addition, the port processed 239,658 empty container units, down 11%.

First-quarter 2026 port volume and trade mix

In the first quarter of 2026, the Port of Los Angeles processed 2,388,843 TEUs. That was down 4.6% from a year earlier. At the same time, the result was consistent with the port’s average first-quarter performance over the past five years. Port officials said this in a press release.

Separately, Pacific Harbor Line serves the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. It connects them to the national rail network, according to Pacific Harbor Line.

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