The Port of Long Beach experienced a record-breaking September. Cargo volumes were up more than 28% for the month, making it the best September in port history. This year has yielded several record-breaking trade months, and the September capped off the best quarter in port history.

Lee Peterson of the Port of Long Beach says that “consumer demand is increasing trade, especially imports” and contributing to the increase in trade volumes. “The Port of Long Beach is seeing a great deal of that trade, due to the improvements the Port has made to its facilities—deeper berths, taller cranes, on-dock rail facilities,” he tells GlobeSt.com.

In September, the Port of Long Beach moved 701,619 twenty-foot equivalent units, a total increase of 28.3%. In the third quarter, cargo volumes were up 15.9%. This activity is similar to the pre-recession trade volumes. “We're getting back to pre-recession levels, which is where we would have expected to be by now,” says Peterson.