San Pedro Bay Posts Third-Highest July Import Volume on Record
July import volumes at the San Pedro Bay port complex reached the third-highest level for the month on record, according to a JLL analysis reported by GlobeSt on Sept. 10. GlobeSt also reported that fuel surcharge pressure is concentrated on longer-haul drayage routes serving destinations farther inland, with surcharges across Southern California, the Inland Empire, Las Vegas and Phoenix averaging 31% above base rates.
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Key takeaways
Container rates from East Asia to the U.S. West Coast rose 170% since mid-May and 314% since the start of the Iran conflict in 2026.
Machinery, technology and AI-related equipment now represent 61% of customs import value, up from 15% in 2019.
Fuel surcharges on drayage across Southern California, the Inland Empire, Las Vegas and Phoenix have climbed to an average of 31% above base rates, up from 8% in January, GlobeSt reported Sept. 10.
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The San Pedro Bay port complex, which includes the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, recorded its third-highest import container volume for July on record, GlobeSt reported Sept. 10, citing a JLL analysis.
Volume holds up even as costs rise
According to GlobeSt, the complex processed nearly 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units in the first half of 2026, with loaded imports above the five-year average in 24 of the prior 26 months. GlobeSt reported that machinery, technology and AI-related equipment now account for 61% of customs import value, up from roughly 15% in 2019.
GlobeSt also reported that container rates from East Asia to the U.S. West Coast have risen 170% since mid-May and are up 314% since the start of the Iran conflict earlier this year. Fuel surcharges on drayage across Southern California, the Inland Empire, Las Vegas and Phoenix have climbed to an average of 31% above base rates, up from 8% in January, GlobeSt reported.
Where the cost pressure is concentrated
Per GlobeSt, the JLL analyst who produced the report said fuel surcharges remain comparatively low in infill industrial submarkets closest to the ports, including South Bay, Central, Mid-Counties and parts of the Inland Empire. Instead, GlobeSt reported that cost pressure is concentrated on longer-haul routes serving destinations farther inland, where fuel makes up a larger share of total transportation cost.
Separately, other industrial and office transactions were reported this week. Commercial Real Estate Direct reported Sept. 9 that Allen Control Systems, a defense technology company, signed a lease for 192,000 square feet at 15700 Long Vista Drive in Austin, Texas. Commercial Real Estate Direct also reported Sept. 8 that the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation paid $42 million for a 441,000-square-foot office building at 8800 Tinicum Blvd. near Philadelphia International Airport.
MarketScale analysis
MarketScale analysis: The reported figures describe port volume and drayage cost patterns tied to Southern California's import gateway rather than a broader shift in industrial leasing nationally. The Austin lease and Philadelphia office sale are separate transactions reported the same week and are not shown by the source reporting to be connected to port volume trends.
Sources
- San Pedro Bay TEUs rise to 3rd highest on record as market avoids cost pressure ↗ · GlobeSt
- Defense tech company inks 192,000-SF industrial lease in Austin, Texas ↗ · Commercial Real Estate Direct
- Office building near Philadelphia airport sells for $42Mln ↗ · Commercial Real Estate Direct
- Cove Capital Investments fully subscribes its Cove Essential Net Lease Industrial 108 DST offering after raising $9,964,510 ↗ · PR Newswire
- Sprouts Farmers Market celebrates opening of new Phoenix support office ↗ · PR Newswire
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