The Port of Los Angeles said Thursday that the number of 20-foot cargo containers moving through the port fell by 12 percent in April compared to a year ago.

The number of containers carrying imported goods into Los Angeles dropped 15 percent to 279,194 in April compared to the same month a year earlier, while those carrying exports shrunk by 4 percent to 140,829.

The total number of cargo containers shipped through the Port of Long Beach dropped 27 percent in April compared with a year ago, that port said Wednesday.

But the downward trend in cargo shipping is showing signs of a rebound. The Long Beach port moved 408,705 TEUs, or 20-foot cargo container units, last month, down from 556,585 TEUs, the port reported in April 2008.

However, cargo container shipments have steadily increased since hitting a low in February when Long Beach moved 318, 042 TEUs. March saw a bump to 374, 131 TEUs, which jumped again by almost 35,000 more cargo containers moved in April.