U.S. West Coast ports gained market share while East Coast ports lost ground, according to Descartes Systems Group. This shift comes after West Coast ports had been losing market share for over a year due to prolonged labor negotiations. Some shippers had started sending cargo back to West Coast ports even before the labor agreement was reached in June. In August, the biggest West Coast ports saw a 3.6% increase in market share to 41.9%, while top East and Gulf Coast ports dropped 3.3% to 43.1%. It remains to be seen if the labor deal influenced these results, but experts anticipate a return of some cargo that had shifted away from the West Coast. Ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach experienced significant increases in cargo handling, while ports on the East Coast, particularly Savannah, saw declines. Low water levels in the Panama Canal may also contribute to cargo returning to the West Coast.
