SoCal Ports Report Mixed Container Volumes
The Port of Los Angeles said its March loaded container volume dropped 24.7% from a year ago, while the Port of Long Beach said its volume increased 5.4% on higher exports.
The two neighboring Southern California ports make up the largest U.S. container port complex.
Loaded imported containers at the Port of L.A. fell 28.7% to just over 231,300 20-foot equivalent units, while loaded outbound containers fell 17.9% to about 154,400 TEUs, on the timing of the Chinese New Year, the Port of L.A. said.
The Chinese New Year holiday, which fell this year on Feb. 10, slows production in Asian countries that export to the United States, the port said, adding that first-quarter volume is down 4.7% from a year ago, at about 1.7 million TEUs.
The Port of Long Beach reported its overall cargo increased on a five-year high for exports, which increased 7.9% to 156,212 compared with the same period last year.
Imports fell 0.5% to almost 225,000 TEUs, also due to the Chinese holiday. Year-to-date cargo container volume at Long Beach rose 18.9% to 1.5 million TEUs, the port said.
