Port Of Long Beach Posts Busiest August On Record

The port moved nearly 920,000 containers last month, making August its fifth-busiest month in its 115-year history.

By Scott Snowden, Patch Staff

Sep 15, 2026 2:44 PM PDT

A container ship loaded with cargo makes its way through the Port of Long Beach, which moved nearly 920,000 containers in August — the busiest August in the port's 115-year history. (Mark Nero/Patch)

LONG BEACH, CA — The Port of Long Beach handled nearly 920,000 shipping containers last month, marking the busiest August in its 115-year history, port officials announced.

Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 919,992 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in August, a 2 percent increase from the same month last year, according to the Port of Long Beach.

The total also made August the fifth-busiest month overall in the port's history. Imports increased 3.6 percent from August 2025 to 456,100 TEUs, while exports rose 4 percent to 99,754 TEUs.

The number of empty containers moving through the port dipped 0.39 percent to 364,138 TEUs.

"Our August numbers tell us that shippers continue to adapt to tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty and are confident in the Port of Long Beach's ability to deliver," Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba said.

"The numbers also show that the Port is a safe and secure harbor that customers can count on," Hacegaba said.

Through the first eight months of 2026, the port handled 6,678,078 TEUs, up 1.3 percent compared with the same period last year.

Capt. Stacey Crecy, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, joined Hacegaba to announce the August cargo figures.

Hacegaba is expected to discuss the factors behind the August numbers Wednesday during the port's next Supply Chain Insight media briefing, which will be available to the public on the Port of Long Beach's YouTube channel.