Cargo traffic at the Port of Los Angeles declined 4.5 percent in September compared with the same month last year, according to figures released Tuesday.

About 711,000 containers moved through the Port of Los Angeles in September. Imports were down 3.8 percent, while exports decreased 13 percent compared with last year.

Phillip Sanfield, the port’s director of media relations, said the decline was mainly due to cargo services shifting from the Port of Los Angeles to the Port of Long Beach. But he said any month with container volumes topping 700,000 is considered a strong month. This is the third consecutive month that traffic at the port has exceeded 700,000 containers, as goods from Asia have been arriving for the holiday season.

Empty containers sent overseas to be refilled with goods increased 1.3 percent.