LOS ANGELES: The Port of Los Angeles reversed two months of declining traffic to post a 3.8 percent increase in cargo for August from a year ago.
The port handled a total of 786,677 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in August, the strongest August performance since 2006, when 790,726 TEUs moved through the port complex. The port’s cargo traffic fell 2.5 percent in July and 2 percent in June.
“The numbers are strong indicators that our terminal operators, longshore labor and supply chain partners are adjusting to the new industry dynamics of carrier alliances, deploying larger ships and delivering higher container volumes per call,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a statement. “Our San Pedro Bay supply chain optimization working groups, overseen by the Federal Maritime Commission, are providing valuable insights that contribute to our mission to improve cargo-flow efficiency and velocity.”
Imports through the Port of Los Angeles grew 6.3 percent from a year ago to 407,804 TEUs, while exports plunged 14 percent to 143,936 TEUs. For the first eight months of 2015, overall volumes are down 2.5 percent from the same period last year to 5.4 million TEUs. Last week, the Port of Long Beach said its overall cargo volume jumped 22.8 percent in August, breaking an all-time record for cargo volume in its 104-year history.
The port’s cargo volume reached 703,652 TEUs during the month, beating July’s cargo volume and marking two consecutive months of record-breaking volumes. A total of 1.4 million TEUs moved through the Port of Long Beach in July and August. Imports climbed 19.1 percent to 358,262 TEUs, while exports grew 9.4 percent to 138,765 TEUs. Empty containers rose 42.1 percent with 206,625 TEUs.
Through the first eight months of 2015, Long Beach cargo numbers rose 5.4 percent from the year-earlier period. The Port of Long Beach said its strategic partnerships continue to yield positive results as consumer confidence grows, the dollar strengthens and retailers stock shelves.
“We’re building the port of the future by investing $4 billion in improvements because as the economy grows, we will grow,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup. “We have not seen volume like this in our entire 104-year history and that is the clearest sign that consumers are buying.”
