Long Beach container traffic up 8% in June

   The Port of Long Beach said its terminals handled 610,516 TEU of containerized cargo in June, 8-percent more than in June 2013. It was the busiest June since 2007, which was the busiest year for container cargo at Long Beach.
   The port handled 316,054 TEU of imports in June, 8.8-percent more than a year earlier, and exports were 140,034 TEU, up 4.7 percent. Empty containers rose 9.3 percent to 154,428 TEU.
   June was the third consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in container volume. Long Beach has seen an increase of 2.5 percent for the first six months of 2014, compared to the same time last year.
   The neighboring port of Los Angeles also reported this week that it handled 736,438 TEU of containerized cargo in June, 14-percent more than in the same period the prior year.
   In addition to the recovering economy, analysts say ports probably saw increases in cargo volumes in June as some companies built up safety stock in advance of the expiration of the contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and employers on July 1.
   Members of the ILWU and Pacific Maritime Associations, the employer group, are continuing to negotiate a new contract and have promised to keep cargo moving during the ongoing negotiations, which have continued since July 1.