The Port of Los Angeles announced a new cargo record for the fifth consecutive month in August, moving 861,081 TEUs and recording the busiest August in its 112-year history and a 4.2% increase over the same period last year. On this occasion, the head of the Port 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.
Eight months into 2019, overall volumes have increased 5.7% compared to 2018, when the Port set an all-time cargo record.
August 2019 imports increased 4.1% to 437,613 TEUs compared to the previous year. Exports decreased 10% to 146,284 TEUs, the 10th consecutive monthly decline of exports.
Empty containers increased 13.8% to 277,183 TEUs. Combined, August overall volumes were 861,081 TEUs. The previous August record was set in 2017 with 847,857 TEUs.
Our strong volume growth this year is due in part to our global supply chain relationships, aggressive marketing and improvements in operational efficiencies,
…he also said.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value. The Port facilitated $297 billion in trade during 2018.
San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs in the five-county Southern California region.
