Container volumes through local seaports neared a record in August despite weakening housing and auto markets nationally, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reports.
Combined, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles handled about 750,000 twenty-foot-equivalent (TEU) containers last month, a figure roughly equal to the record-setting month of August 2006.
The growth was restrained, however, by slumps in housing, furniture, automobile and appliance sales, as manufacturers and retailers imported less in response to weak demand, according to a survey by Global Insight, a retail tracking firm.
“Even though we’ve seen very slow month-over-month growth compared with last year, it’s still growth and we’re projecting new records during the August-October peak season,” said Paul Bingham of Global Insight.
Growth was recorded in apparel, footwear and electronics imports.
