PORT OF LOS ANGELES WIDENS LEAD OVER LONG BEACH

PORT OF LOS ANGELES WIDENS LEAD OVER LONG BEACH    The port of Los Angeles, the largest container port in North America, is widening its lead over the neighboring port of Long Beach, as it reports another set of rapid growth figures in container volume for November.
   Despite the diversion of several services away from the port because of congestion, the port of Los Angeles handled 545,979 TEUs in November, 20 percent more than a year earlier. Loaded inbound volume reached 291,571 TEUs, an increase of 25 percent. Outbound cargo totaled 95,722 TEUs, up 7 percent over November 2001.
   The increases in Los Angeles are partly caused by the switch of Maersk Sealand from Long Beach to Los Angeles in August.
   The neighboring port of Long Beach recently reported a 10 percent fall in traffic for November, to 335,149 TEUs, mainly due to the loss of the Maersk Sealand traffic.
   The combined container volume of the two large southern Californian ports for November was 881,128 TEUs, a 6 percent increase on the 827,590 TEU level of November 2001. Los Angeles handled 62 percent of the total in November, up from 55 percent a year earlier.