WASHINGTON: Container volumes surged in August to near-record levels at the Port of Los Angeles, according to data released Wednesday. Port officials said last month marked the second busiest month in its 110-year history with cargo movement increasing 6.1 percent for the month of August year-over-year. “We are grateful to our terminal operators, labor force, supply chain stakeholders and our cargo owners for the record-breaking container volume trend we have been experiencing over the past 20 months,” Port of L.A. Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a statement.
Imports increased 5.1 percent to 432,479 20-foot-equivalents (TEUs) and exports rose 4 percent to 159,197 TEUs, including a 9.2 increase in empty containers. Overall August container volumes were 847,857 TEUs, port officials said. For neighboring Port of Long Beach, a total of 692,375 TEUs were processed for the month of August, an 8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Imports rose 10.6 percent to 355,715 TEUs, and exports decreased to 117,290 TEUs, a 26.3 percent decrease which port officials said were due to shifts in vessel alliances. “We are on pace to have our highest import year ever and one of our best years, period,” Long beach Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum said. “Our inbound traffic during this peak season signifies optimism among retailers for the holiday season.”
