Bigger Ships Boost August Container Volumes at Port of Los Angeles

zoom August 2015 containerized cargo volumes at the Port of Los Angeles increased 3.8 percent compared to the same period last year. The Port handled a total of 786,677 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in August 2015. It was the strongest August performance since 2006, when 790,726 TEUs moved through the port complex. Imports increased 6.3 percent, from 383,551 TEUs in August 2014 to 407,804 TEUs in August 2015. Exports declined 14 percent, from 168,248 TEUs in August 2014 to 143,936 TEUs in August 2015. The volume of empty containers increased 14 percent. “The numbers are strong indicators that our terminal operators, longshore labor and supply chain partners are adjusting to the new industry dynamics of carrier alliances, deploying larger ships and delivering higher container volumes per call,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. Our San Pedro Bay supply chain optimization working groups, overseen by the Federal Maritime Commission, are providing valuable insights that contribute to our mission to improve cargo-flow efficiency and velocity. For the first eight months of 2015, overall volumes (5,389,316 TEUs) are down 2.5 percent compared to the same period in 2014.