Sharing figures for the month of August, the US Port of Long Beach said it saw the fifth-busiest August in its 108-year history, handling a total of 663,992 TEUs. However, this represents a 2.3% decrease in its cargo movement compared to August 2018.
Imports slid 5.9% to 322,780 TEUs, exports rose 4.5% to 124,975 TEUs and empty containers sent overseas for use in the global supply chain decreased 0.3% to 216,238 TEUs.
Long Beach volumes after the first eight months of 2019 are 4,971,407 TEUs, 6.6% down from last year’s record pace. This continues a downward trend in the port’s volumes.
These results are strong for any North American seaport, but lag behind our record high numbers last year, when retailers shipped goods to beat expected tariffs. We are still on track for one of our busiest years ever and our focus remains on delivering efficiency and reliability as we await the swift resolution of the U.S.-China trade dispute,
…said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.
International trade has continued and will continue to evolve. Our focus as policy makers for the Port must be long-term, and our future as the primary gateway for trans-Pacific commerce remains very positive. We are investing billions in efficient and sustainable cargo movement to serve the needs of the supply chain today and decades from now,
…he added.
This comes at the same time the Port of Los Angeles recorded the busiest August in its 112-year history and a 4.2% increase over the same period last year, moving 861,081 TEUs.
However, the head of the Port also expressed concerns regarding the ongoing trade crisis and called for an end to US-China trade war for global trade stability to be restored.
The final months of 2018 ended with an extraordinary influx of imports to beat expected tariffs on China-origin goods. We don’t expect to see those kind of volumes in the months ahead. We need a negotiated settlement of the US-China trade war to restore global trade stability,
…said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.
