LB containers fell 3.2% in 2011

   Southern California’s Port of Long Beach said its terminals handled 6.1 million TEUs in 2011, or 3.2 percent fewer than it handled in record year 2010.
   The port said the decline reflected the decision by California United Terminals to vacate one of the port’s seven container terminals in late 2010 and relocate to Pier 400 at neighboring Los Angeles.
   Adjusting for CUT’s departure, the remaining container terminals saw a gain of 8.1 percent in 2011. Imports were up 10.1 percent and exports climbed 7.8 percent.
   For December, the Long Beach moved 509,944 TEUs, a 2.6 percent decrease compared to the same period a year ago, and, the port noted, “a more modest decline after months of double digit drops.”