The Port of Los Angeles started 2012 off in a good way last month, as it set a record in total container volume.
The number of 20-foot equivalent containers that moved through the POLA increased 5.78 percent compared to January 2011, according to port data. The 698,715 TEUs represents the highest number of combined imports, exports and empties for January in the port’s history.
Loaded inbound TEUs jumped 5.25 percent compared to January 2011, from 338,606 to 356,394. Also, the number of loaded outbound containers was up 5.9 percent, to 168,427 from 159,050. The number of total loaded containers, imports and exports, which traveled through the port last month was up by a total of 5.46 percent compared with the same month last year, rising from 497,657 to 524,821.
Additionally, the total number of empty containers also rose, reaching 173,893, a 6.77 percent increase over the 162,860 that the port moved during the same month last year.
The numbers marked the best January in the port’s history with respect to exports and the total number of loaded imports and exports combined, 624,821 TEUs.
The port is attributing some of the increase in January volumes to the increased movement of cargo prior to the Jan. 23 Chinese New Year, which results in a one- to two-week holiday closure of many facilities in China.
For its fiscal year, which began July 1, the total volume is up 0.9 percent so far compared with the year prior, partially due to a new tenant, California United Terminals, which came over from the adjoining Port of Long Beach in late 2010.
The Port LA’ numbers are a marked contrast to those at the rival Long Beach, which suffered a nearly four percent decrease in total TEU volume last month compared with January 2011, partially due to the loss of OOCL.
