Cargo volume remained soft at the Port of Los Angeles (Port of LA) in November as imports slowed and the shift of cargo to the East Coast persisted.

The Port of LA handled 639,344 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in November, recording a 21% decrease compared to November 2021.

This is also slower than the 678,429 TEUs seen in October.

Port of LA said it handled 7% less cargo in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to last year's all-time record.

"Imports into the United States have begun to level off, in addition to cargo that has shifted away from West Coast ports due to protracted labour negotiations," said Gene Seroka, executive director of Port of Los Angeles during a media briefing.

"In the months ahead, we're going to have to work harder and smarter to earn cargo back. Every ship, every train, every truck needs to be handled with the top-level service our customers expect and deserve," Seroka added.

November 2022 saw loaded imports reach 307,080 TEUs, down 24% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, loaded exports came in at 90,116 TEUs, an increase of 9% compared to last November. Empty containers landed at 242,148 TEUs, a 26% year-over-year decline.