L.A., Long Beach report lower container volumes

   The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have reported lower cargo volumes in February than in the same period last year.
   The Port of Long Beach said in a statement that “cargo numbers were affected by the Lunar New Year, a holiday celebrated in China and other countries in East Asia. The holiday fell on Jan. 31 this year, and it started a two-week period during which many businesses in Asia close their doors to allow employees to be with their families; production is minimal and business is slow. Because of the time for vessels to cross the Pacific, the port is impacted from mid-February to early March.”
   A total of 517,173 TEUs moved through the Port of Long Beach during February, a decrease of 2.6 percent. Also at Long Beach, imports totaled 271,671 TEUs, down 2.7 percent; exports totaled 143,572 TEUs, up 2.1 percent; and empties totaled 101,930 TEUs, down 8.3 percent.
   At the Port of Los Angeles, a total of 559,786 TEUs were handled, a decrease of 8.9 percent. Imports totaled 284,812 TEUs, down 10.6 percent; exports were 146,926 TEUs, down 6.2 percent; and empties were 128,048, down 8.4 percent.