Despite new record, Port of LA chief warns of tariff-driven planning risk

The Port of Los Angeles moved 1. 42 million TEUs in September, its best single month ever and the highest monthly volume ever recorded by a port in the Western Hemisphere, Executive Director Gene Seroka said this week. He said lower tariff levels, resilient consumer demand, and cargo shifting away from constrained Panama Canal and Suez routes drove the surge. Record quarter September imports totaled 546,000 loaded TEUs, up 19% year over year and 26% above the port’s five-year average. Exports rose 10% to 126,000 loaded TEUs, while the port handled a record 371,000 empty containers as carriers repositioned equipment to Asia.