Cargo Volumes Hit Records at Long Beach, Los Angeles Ports

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Boxed In: Cranes and cargo containers at Port of Los Angeles.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which together make up the nation’s largest port complex, set new records in cargo movement last month.

The Port of Long Beach had its highest monthly cargo movement in its 106-year history in July, moving 720,312 cargo containers, known as 20-foot-equivalent units or TEUs, up 6.4 percent compared to the same period a year ago. The port beat its previous record set in August 2015.

Imports rose 16.3 percent to 378,820 cargo containers, while exports slipped 11.7 percent to 126,098 TEUs. Empty containers numbered at 215,394 TEUs.

“These numbers are great for Long Beach and good news for the economy,” Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, said in a statement.

At the Port of Los Angeles, 796,804 containers moved through the port in July, the highest ever for that month in its 110-year history and a 16 percent increase over cargo volumes for the same period a year earlier.

Imports increased 13 percent to 417,090 TEUs, and exports rose 17 percent to 154,925 TEUs. So far in 2017 through last month, the port saw an increase of 9.5 percent in cargo movement compared to the same period in 2016.

Manufacturing and trade reporter Shwanika Narayan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @shwanika.