By Karen Robes Meeks
The Port of Long Beach saw its monthly cargo volumes fall when compared to last July.
According to port statistics released Monday, Long Beach moved 621,780 TEUs, which is 9.7 percent less than July 2018. Meanwhile, imports were down 9.9 percent to 313,350 TEUs, and exports fell 6.8 percent to 111,654 TEUs. Empty saw an 11 percent decline to 196,777 TEUs.
“The trade war is hitting the West Coast hard,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “For more than a year, the supply chain has bent under the weight, and there’s very little give left. If the tariffs continue and escalate as planned next month, American consumers could see higher prices during the holiday season as businesses pass along their costs.”
The port has handled more than 4.3 million TEUs so far this year, down 7.2 percent from the same period last year.
