Traffic at the Port of Long Beach declined 1.4 percent in January compared with the same month last year, according to figures released Tuesday.

Nearly 529,000 containers moved through the port in January. Imports rose 2 percent, while exports fell 3.4 percent, compared to the same period a year ago. Empty containers, which were sent overseas to be filled with goods, decreased 6.3 percent.

The port said in a statement that January figures were slightly down due to Chinese New Year celebrations, adding that this year is expected to perform better than 2013, the third-busiest year ever.

The Port of Los Angeles said last week that its traffic increased 2.5 percent in January, to about 686,000 containers, compared with the same month last year. While Long Beach cited the Chinese New Year as a cause of its decline, Los Angeles said its increase was partially due to shippers moving cargo in advance of the celebration.