Cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach surged in January 2013,
with 17.5 percent more containers being moved overall – including a 19.5
percent jump in imports and an 8.2 percent rise in exports – compared to the
same month a year ago.
Port terminals in January moved 536,263 TESu. The number
includes 273,918 TEUs of imports, the highest volume of import containers for a
January since 2007, according to newly released port data. Exports rose to
126,714 TEUs, an 8.2 percent jump from 117,083.
Empties were up 23.1 percent, rising to 135,631 TEUs, from
January 2011’s 110,216 containers. The port is attributing the surge in part to
the upcoming Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year.
During the weeks leading up to the New Year, some West Coast
ports typically see a rise in cargo traffic in the trans-Pacific trade.
Retailers stock up on merchandise before factories in China and throughout Asia
close down for the holiday. The 2013 Lunar New Year began Feb. 10.
Another event being given partial credit for the
month-over-month cargo volume jump is that last year, Mediterranean Shipping
Co. and CMA CGM, two of the largest ocean carriers in the world, established
exclusive hubs at Long Beach, leaving the Port of Los Angeles behind.
For the fiscal year to date, Long beach has seen increases
in all its major statistical cargo categories. Loaded outbound cargo is up 18.4
percent, loaded outbound has risen 12.3 percent and the number of empty containers
shipped has jumped by 7.1 percent so far during FY 2012-13, which began last
October.
For more details on the cargo numbers, visit www.polb.com/stats.
