LONG BEACH SAYS SHIP TURNAROUND RETURNS TO ?NEAR-NORMAL?

LONG BEACH SAYS SHIP TURNAROUND RETURNS TO ôNEAR-NORMALö    The port of Long Beach said turnaround times for containerships and terminal operations generally have returned to “near-normal” in the past week, said Art Wong, a port spokesman.
   However, a 12-day lockout of longshoremen on the West Coast resulted in a 30.7-percent decline in container volume for Long Beach in October, compared to the same month a year ago. The port handled 301,318 TEUs, compared to 434,868 in October 2001, its busiest month last year.
   Typically, the port sees its heaviest cargo volumes during the summer and early fall, as shipments of imported holiday products peak from August through October.
   October inbound cargo containers dropped 31.2 percent to 163,776 TEUs. Long Beach’s leading imports include Asia-made clothing, shoes, home furnishings and consumer electronics.
   Outbound cargo containers declined 50.6 percent to 40,608 TEUs. The port’s leading exports include computer components, factory equipment, and raw materials.
   The number of empty containers heading back overseas to be re-filled with goods fell 15.3 percent to 96,934 TEUs.