Posts Tagged “container volumes”
Philadelphia, PA – PhilaPort capped off a milestone year in 2025, posting record container throughput and outperforming national and regional trade trends to remain a leader among U.S. East Coast container ports.
PhilaPort handled a record 889,268 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, representing a 6% year-over-year increase in container volume. This result exceeded overall U.S. trade growth projections of approximately 3%, underscoring Philadelphia’s continued strength in the container market. Since 2020, PhilaPort’s container volumes have increased by 39%, reflecting sustained, long-term growth.
Through November 2025, PhilaPort also outpaced other North Atlantic container ports, which collectively reported more modest growth, compared to PhilaPort’s 7% increase over the same period.
A key driver of this performance remains PhilaPort’s specialization in temperature-controlled cargo. In 2025, 64% of PhilaPort’s containerized imports were refrigerated, reinforcing the Port’s role as a premier East Coast hub for perishable goods and cold-chain cargo.
“Over the past several years, we have built an operating environment that competes and wins,” said Jeff Theobald, Executive Director and CEO of PhilaPort. “These results show that Philadelphia is not just keeping pace, but pulling ahead, and the foundation is firmly in place for continued success.”
PhilaPort’s container productivity was further underscored by its recognition as the most productive port in North America in the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence Container Port Performance Index, which evaluates ports based on vessel turnaround times and operational efficiency.
With record container volumes and sustained growth, PhilaPort enters 2026 positioned to build on its momentum and remain a top-performing container port on the U.S. East Coast.
The Port of Oakland welcomed 2025 on a positive note, experiencing growth in both import and export volumes. In January 2025, loaded container volume reached 146,187 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), marking an 8.5% increase from January 2024, which saw 144,405 TEUs.
“Strong import growth indicates the resilience of Northern California’s economy and reflects the confidence cargo owners have in our port,” stated Bryan Brandes, the Maritime Director of the Port of Oakland. “Export volumes remain steady, showcasing the ongoing global demand for U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods. This growth is a result of the dedicated efforts and collaboration among our labor force, terminal operators, and supply chain partners. We value their commitment and will continue to work together to enhance efficiency and expand capacity to better serve our customers.”
Loaded imports experienced a 13% increase, with 81,453 TEUs processed in January 2025, compared to 72,081 TEUs in January 2024. In contrast, loaded exports saw more modest growth at 3.4%, totaling 64,735 TEUs in January 2025, up from 62,596 TEUs the previous year.
Additionally, empty imports dropped significantly by 26.2%, with 12,625 TEUs departing the Port in January 2025 compared to 17,117 TEUs in January 2024. Conversely, empty exports rose by 19.8%, with the Port handling 34,363 TEUs this January, compared to 28,694 TEUs in January 2024.
Imports of fresh produce remain strong as container volumes at PhilaPort’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminals are up 5 percent, maintaining an eight-month surge.
The increase at the Port of Philadelphia leaves it as the only East Coast port to grow cargo volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.
“We are extremely proud of our results,” Jeff Theobald, executive director and CEO of PhilaPort, said in the release. “This proves that the infrastructure work we have done, in conjunction with the hard work of our longshoremen, terminal operator, Greenwich Terminals, and commercial support from Holt Logistics, is already paying off.”
The Packer Avenue Maine Terminal handles a variety of cargoes, but is known for handling and distributing refrigerated cargoes.
Leo Holt, president of Holt Logistics, said the company is on track to reach double-digit growth in refrigerated cargo volume this year.
“Consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables remains at an all-time high,” Holt said. “We remain ready to meet this demand and provide a safe and efficient supply chain for our clients.”
A project to deepen the Delaware River main channel is complete.
“And now that we have this and other major infrastructure improvements in place, developers are taking notice.” Sean Mahoney, director of marketing at the port, said. “They are continuing their investments in new distribution warehousing in South Jersey and Lehigh Valley.”
More container volume is being handled at the Port of Los Angeles, and a California company is expanding its presence in South Texas.
Container volumes increased over 16 percent from over the previous year at the Port of Los Angeles, which had its busiest July ever. This took place as U.S. ports continue to post record traffic numbers, including the major West Coast entry point for many Central and South American fruits and vegetables.
L.A. had almost 797,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) came through the port, the most in any July since it opened 110 years ago, according to a news release.
The port also set a 12-month shipping record for a Western Hemisphere port during the most recent fiscal years.
Port officials expect the calendar year to break records as well. Container volumes are 9.5 percent over 2016 volume to date, a year that also saw records fall.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union recently extended their contracts with the terminal operators at the port until 2022.
NEW TEXAS DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Index Fresh of Bloomington, CA broke ground earlier this year on a new distribution center in South Texas that should be ready to receive fruit sometime in November. The company is anticipating continued growth with the U.S. consumption of avocados.
Index Fresh has used a commercial warehouse facility in the Rio Grande Valley for several years at Crosspoint Cold Storage, but decided it was time to expand and build its own facility.
Located in Pharr, The Index Fresh distribution center is being built a stone’s throw from the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, which is a major entry point for Mexican avocados and other fruits and vegetables originating south of the border. The facility will be used to pre-cool and condition the fruit.
It will have the capacity to handle 2,600 pallets of avocados, with 10 separate ripening rooms. Mexico exports more avocados to the U.S. than any country, with South Texas being the most popular port of entry.