Long Beach Port Launches Cyber Center as Cargo Volumes Cool
Long Beach Port Launches Cyber Center as Cargo Volumes Cool
Publish Date: 2026-05-15 18:06:00
Source Domain: wwd.com
The Port of Long Beach handled almost 818,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in April, down 5.7 percent from year ago. Although imports declined 7.1 percent to nearly 119,000 TEUs, the port’s CEO Noel Hacegaba largely shrugged off the monthly dip as a reversion to the mean.
Exports saw a massive 26.7 percent jump to nearly 119,000 TEUs, which also hit empty containers fall 12.6 percent to 309,000 TEUs as ships could not take as many empties back to Asia.
The numbers run directly opposite to the tonnage at its sister port, the Port of Los Angeles, which increased 5.7 percent to 890,861 TEUs. But they are in line with figures reported by logistics software company Descartes, which said April inbound cargo volumes at major ports sank 5.5 percent.
Hacegaba said the San Pedro Bay gateway is “beginning to see a retrenchment to what is typical” for a four-month stretch to start the year, noting that the port’s comparisons to the year prior were difficult amid the industrywide front-loading ahead of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The Port of Long Beach achieved its strongest April on record last year, when more than 867,000 TEUs passed through—up 15.6 percent from the year prior.
The Port of Long Beach released the results along with the unveiling of a new center dedicated to defending the gateway against cyberattacks. On average, the port says it blocks or stops an attempted cyberattack every three seconds.
The newly launched Cyber Defense Operations Center (CDOC) enables the maritime hub to double the number of on-site staff focused on safeguarding the Port’s digital supply chain and further leverage its in-house and contracted resources. The port partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard to evaluate the state of cybersecurity at the port, and to better understand technologies and practices to be put in place on location.
“What sets our new CDOC apart is its ability to bring cyber operations and harbor patrol…
