While container volumes at two of California's three major ports slid to pre-peak season levels in November, monthly volumes at all three easily surpassed volumes from the year-ago period in 2009.
Total container volumes at the ports of Los Angeles and Oakland in November slid to levels close to those seen in May, just before container volumes at both ports began to ramp up significantly for the peak shipping season which traditionally runs from June to October. However, the Port of Long Beach, while seeing a sizable drop off in total container volumes in November compared to October, still turned in numbers equal to the other peak season months of 2010. This may indicate that at least some cargo owners are shipping early for the winter season to avoid the typical shipping slowdowns related to the Chinese New Year, which occurs somewhat early in 2011.
In addition, all three ports have experienced an out-of-cycle jump in the number of loaded export containers handled over the past two months. Export numbers for October and November at all three ports have increased to levels typically seen in the early months of the year, the traditional export peak season as raw materials head to foreign manufacturing centers in anticipation of producing finished goods for return to the US months later in the back-to-school and holiday seasons.
The Port of Long Beach moved a total of 558,307 TEUs in November, a 24.6 percent gain over November 2009. The port handled a total of 274,480 loaded import TEUs during November, a 20.2 percent increase over the year ago period. The port also moved a total of 142,628 loaded export TEUs, a 24.8 percent increase over the same month in 2009.
Long Beach remains on track to end the year with well above 20 percent growth, with 5,740,188 TEUs handled in the first 11 months of 2010, or 24.8 percent higher than the January to November period last year.
Across San Pedro Bay, the Port of Los Angeles in November handled a total of 666,971 TEUs, a 15 percent increase over November 2009. Los Angeles officials report handling 333,710 loaded import TEUs in November, an 11.7 percent increase over the year-ago period. The port also handled 170,319 loaded export, a 14.2 percent increase over November of last year.
Los Angeles has moved just over 1 million TEUs in the calendar year, a 16.7 percent increase over the first 11 months of 2009.
Up the coast in the Bay Area, the Port of Oakland reported moving a total of 201,530 TEUs in November, a 16.2 percent increase over November of last year. Oakland officials report moving 67,342 loaded import TEUs in November, a 14.1 percent increase over the year-ago period. The port also handled 88,212 loaded export containers in November, a 2.8 percent increase over the same month last year.
Oakland has moved 2,142,249 TEUs during the first 11 months of this year, a 15.3 percent increase over the January to November period in 2009.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
