The Port of Los Angeles processed 799,315 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in February, a 47% jump compared to February 2020. 

In a statement, it said this was the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year increases and the strongest February in the Port’s 114-year history.

“One year ago global trade slowed to a crawl as the COVID-19 pandemic first hit China and then spread worldwide,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Today, we are in the seventh month of an unparalleled import surge, driven by unprecedented demands by American consumers.”

America's busiest container port said its February 2021 loaded imports reached 412,884 TEUs compared to the previous year. Loaded exports decreased 24.7% to 101,208 TEUs. Empty containers, heavily in demand in Asia, surged 104% compared to February 2020 reaching 285,223 TEUs.

A total of 78 cargo vessels arrived in January, including four extra loaders.

“Our challenges now are focused on getting port workers vaccinated and assisting stakeholders in managing this heavy flow of cargo,” Seroka noted.

“We will do everything we can to help get shipping lines back on schedule. It’s critical that we clear the backlog of cargo and return more certainty to the Pacific trade.”