The Port of Los Angeles’ April 2013 overall volumes
decreased 9.45 percent compared to April 2012, according to newly-released data,
with the decrease being attributed in large part to a vessel service that
shifted out of LA.
The drop represents the second straight month that Los
Angeles saw drops in every major statistical category it monitors, including
loaded inbound containers, loaded outbound and number of empties moved.
Imports dropped 10.36 percent in April, falling from 364,555
TEUs in April 2012 to 326,780 TEUs this April. Additionally, exports decreased 14.3
percent last month, falling from 186,838 TEUs in April 2012 to 160,129 TEUs in
April 2013.
Combined, total loaded imports and exports for April were
down 11.69 percent, dropping from 551,393 TEUs last April to 486,910 TEUs in
April 2013. Factoring in empties, which decreased 1.52 percent year over year,
overall April 2013 volume of 640,330 TEUs was down 9.45 percent compared to
April 2012’s 707,182 TEUs.
The negatives don’t just stop there, however. Calendar year
and fiscal year volumes are both down compared with the same periods during the
previous years.
French shipping line CMA CGM Group moved a weekly ship call
from Los Angeles to the neighboring Port of Long Beach last year. Mediterranean
Shipping Co. also jumped from the Port of Los Angeles to the Port of Long Beach
late in 2012.
For the first four months of the current calendar year, LA
moved 2.4 million TEUs, which is far more than any other US port, but down
about six percent from 2012 volumes. For the fiscal year, which began in July
2013, volumes are down 3.85 percent, falling from 6.75 million TEUs to 6.49
million.
Current and past data container counts for the Port of Los
Angeles may be found at:
