Major transpacific ports see slowing, declining box traffic

Major transpacific ports see slowing, declining box traffic    Box traffic growth went into reverse at the ports of Los Angeles and Hong Kong during March, while the port of Long Beach recently reported a slowdown in its container activity.
   The port of Los Angeles reported Monday its total box volume dropped 14 percent to about 525,000 TEUs in March, with the key figure of loaded inbound containers falling 24 percent to about 255,000 TEUs, the largest year-on-year monthly percentage decline for years. Loaded outbound traffic and empty containers also declined in March.
   In the first three months, Los Angeles’ box traffic decreased 2 percent to 1.7 million TEUs.
   At the port of Hong Kong, box traffic decreased 7 percent to 1.8 million TEUs in March, bringing the year-to-date total to 5.3 million TEUs, up 1 percent.
   Last week, the port of Long Beach said the growth of its container traffic slowed to 4 percent in March, when it handled about 466,000 TEUs.