Peak season slows, but California vessel counts still set records

Peak season slows, but California vessel counts still set records    Peak season is slowing in the Southern California port complex if vessel counts are any indication, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.
   “It appears we are finally seeing the ‘down slope’ for this year’s ‘peak season,’ ” said Manny Aschemeyer, Marine Exchange executive director, in an e-mail update Wednesday. “Be that as it may, we are predicting an average of 16 vessel arrivals daily for the balance of this week, which is still above average. If these numbers continue, we’ll have another record-breaking month for ship arrivals at LA-LB Harbor.”
   September and October – traditionally the height of peak season for shipping – have brought a notable increase in vessel calls, with the ports experiencing 22 days in which the number of vessels in port exceeded the traditional average range of 40 to 55 ships.
   Aschemeyer said Los Angeles and Long Beach are still on track to set a new record for total ship arrivals in 2006.