North American port volumes remained resilient in June, with the Port of Los Angeles recording its busiest June on record and several major U.S. gateways reporting strong year-on-year growth despite mixed performance across parts of the West Coast.
North American ports recorded another solid month for container throughput in June, highlighting the resilience of regional trade flows and the continued strength of U.S. gateway activity. While results varied between ports, overall figures point to sustained cargo demand heading into the second half of the year.
The Port of Los Angeles led the way by handling 1,002,734 TEUs, making it the busiest June in the port’s history and only the third time it has surpassed the one-million TEU mark in a single month. Inbound loaded containers reached 530,558 TEUs, up 12.8% from June 2025 and almost 34% above pre-pandemic June 2019 levels.
Neighbouring Long Beach also reported solid results, with inbound loaded volumes rising 11.0% year on year. Together, the San Pedro Bay ports handled 917,583 inbound loaded TEUs during June, while combined first-half throughput approached 10 million TEUs, reinforcing Southern California’s position as North America’s leading container gateway.
Elsewhere, growth remained strongest along the Gulf and East coasts. Port Houston posted a 27.0% increase in inbound loaded containers compared with June 2025, while the Port of Norfolk recorded a 20.1% rise. Philadelphia also continued to outperform pre-pandemic levels, reflecting the broader diversification of cargo flows across North American gateways.
Not every port shared the same momentum. Oakland reported improving year-on-year imports but remained below 2019 volumes, while the Northwest Seaport Alliance and Prince Rupert continued to trail pre-pandemic throughput levels. These mixed performances suggest that although container demand remains healthy, cargo distribution across North America’s port network continues to evolve.
Source: Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA)
