US Ports End Year on High Note
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U.S. ports capped off 2024 with solid growth, as most major facilities reported volume increases for December.
The Port of Los Angeles processed 921,616 20-foot-equivalent units for the month, a 24% increase from the 742,519 handled a year earlier. The entire year was a busy one for the port, as it processed more than 10.3 million TEUs. That’s a nearly 20% increase over 2023 and the second-best year in the port’s history.
“Everything we do to speed containers through the port pays off, because for every four containers we move, it equals one job,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said. “At the Port of Los Angeles, performance is a point of pride for everyone who works here.”
MORE: Port of L.A. Tallies Second-Busiest Year on Record in 2024
Seroka
The adjacent Port of Long Beach ended the year with its busiest December on record, as container traffic increased 21.3% to 861,006 containers compared with 709,819 in December 2023. That topped the previous record set in 2020 by 5.5% and marked the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year cargo increases. The entire year was its busiest ever, as was its Q4. In 2024, the port processed 9.6 million TEUs.
The Northwest Seaport Alliance said combined December container volumes from the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., increased 15.8% year over year to 304,748 TEUs from 263,171. The port noted that improved vessel consistency and higher vessel calls contributed to the gain, as the number of international container voyages reached their highest level since 2020. It also noted that container volume for the year rose 12.3% over 2023 to 3,340,733 TEUs.
Port Houston posted a December volume increase of 4% year over year to 340,418 containers compared with 326,577 in the year-ago period. The facility noted that loaded exports increased 12% during the month due to robust shipments of resin, chemicals, rubber and textiles, while loaded imports fell 1%. The port reported a record year for tonnage overall, moving 53,066,219 million tons of cargo in 2024.
Jenkins
“Houston is at the heart of our nation’s trade, connecting our region to global markets,” Port Houston CEO Charlie Jenkins said. “Port Houston’s public terminals have been integral to this success, and we are proud of the new tonnage record set this year. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our team, our strong partnership with labor and key stakeholders, and our commitment to providing our customers a low-cost and high-efficiency solution.”
The Port of Oakland posted a 3.8% year-over-year increase in December to 182,646 containers compared with 176,013. This was mostly due to year-over-year growth in loaded imports compensating for a decline in loaded exports. Total container volume for the year increased 9.5% to 2,262,921 TEUs.
The Georgia Ports Authority said container volume in December increased 4.7% to 442,000 TEUs from 422,287 in the year-ago period, the 12th consecutive month of year-over-year volume growth. The Appalachian Regional Port in northwest Georgia played an important role, as December volume rose 20.6% there over year-ago levels. The Port of Brunswick and its Mayor’s Point Terminal also reported year-over-year improvements.
Fountain
“We continue to focus our infrastructure renovation efforts on getting all our facilities into top shape for customers and their long-term needs,” said Kent Fountain, chairman of the Georgia Ports Board. We’d like to thank our customers, Gateway Terminals, the [International Longshoremen’s Association], our trucking community and our business partners who make Savannah and Brunswick supply chains work so well.”
The South Carolina Ports Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Port of Virginia had not released data by press time.
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