The Port of Los Angeles announced that on Thursday, it became the first port in the Western Hemisphere to process 10 million container units in a 12‑month period.

To mark the milestone, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, longshore labor leaders, Port officials, and stakeholders gathered at the Port’s Fenix Marine Services Container Terminal to watch the 10 millionth container loaded onto the CMA CGM AMERIGO VESPUCCI, a vessel from the fleet of the Port’s largest shipping line customer, the CMA CGM Group.

“The Port is the beating heart of our economy, the backbone of our region’s prosperity, and the crossroads that make Los Angeles a true gateway to the rest of the world,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Reaching this remarkable milestone is a reflection of its role as a critical engine of the global supply chain — and a testament to our unmatched port infrastructure and highly-skilled workforce.”

“Stacked end-to-end, 10 million containers would circle the world one and a half times,” said Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners President Jaime Lee. “It’s a lot of cargo to handle by any measure.”

10.8 million TEUs in FY 2020-2021

When the Port of Los Angeles closes its 2020-2021 Fiscal Year books on June 30, it is expected to have processed more than 10.8 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

The port noted that a pandemic-induced consumer buying surge that began last summer, along with restocking of retailer shelves and e-commerce warehouses across the country have fueled the dramatic rise in imports.

It said over the past 12 months, Port terminals have worked an average of 15 container ships each day, up from a pre-pandemic average of 10 ships a day, representing a significant increase in productivity.

Ed Aldridge, President of CMA CGM and APL North America, noted that the historic TEU “shows that, as the pandemic subsides in the United States, the American economy is roaring back to life.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port of Los Angeles remained open every day, serving as a vital link and economic engine for the region and nation. 

The Port of Los Angeles has ranked as the number one container port in the United States each year since 2000. In 2020, the Port moved 9.2 million TEUs, the fourth highest-volume year in the Port’s history. The Port’s previous highest annual container volume on record was in 2018, moving 9.5 million TEUs.

North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated US$259 billion in trade during 2020.