Throughput results so far this year at the San Pedro Bay ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach appear to be diverging, possibly due to an ongoing restructuring of carrier service schedules.
The Port of Los Angeles experienced a 1.5 percent dip in October container volumes to 704,588 TEUs compared to the same month a year ago, the port authority reported Thursday.
The Southern California port’s fortunes stand in contrast to the neighboring Port of Long Beach, which last week reported its best October in eight years with a 6.3 percent bump in throughput to 619,983 TEUs.
Imports in L.A. were down 3.3 percent year-over-year to 358,601 standard shipping units for the month, while exports dropped 14.7 percent to 134,963 TEUs. The biggest gainer was the shipment of empty containers, which increased 13.1 percent compared to October 2014.
Year-to-date volumes are down 2.7 percent in Los Angeles compared to the same period in 2014.
The Port of Los Angeles has only had two months of positive growth so far this year, and one of those was in March when there was a surge to make up for down time at the ports caused by a coast-wise contract dispute between dockworkers and management. Volumes were essentially flat in May.
Officials point out that the port is operating more efficiently than early this year as terminal operators and ground transport providers get better at handling the fluctuations in volume associated with big ship deliveries. West Coast ports have stabilized some of the cargo losses from early in the year when shippers sought out alternative gateways in North America to avoid labor-related congestion. Some of the difference between activity in Los Angeles and Long Beach likely has to do with changes in ocean carrier alliances and service shifts.
Long Beach’s strong numbers were boosted by exports, while imports fell 0.8 percent as retailers appeared to stock up early for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
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