Tariffs continue to dampen cargo movement at the Port of Long Beach, which moved 677,167 TEUs last month, 10 percent fewer containers than it did in 2018, according to the newest port statistics. Imports in June fell 13.7 percent to 331,617 TEUs, while exports dipped 1 percent to 133,833 TEUs. Empty containers were also down 9.1 percent to 211,718 TEUs. Escalating tariffs brought on by the trade dispute between the US and China prompted retailers to quickly ship goods in 2018 before tariffs took effect, according to Port Executive Director Mario Cordero. “For 2019, it seems that the cargo is all here and warehouses are filled,” he said. “That’s disrupting container movement and the growth we would normally see this time of year.”
The Port of Los Angeles saw its busiest June in history when it handled 764,777 TEUs last month. Imports were up 3.5 percent to 396,307 TEUs, while exports were down 5.6 percent to 139,318 TEUs, compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, empty containers, which are sent overseas to be refilled with goods, jumped 19 percent to 229,153 units. June caps off the port’s 2018-2019 fiscal year, which saw the port move nearly 9.7 TEUs, a 5.7 percent increase from the previous year. “Completing the busiest 12-month period in the port’s history makes me proud of our extraordinary capabilities and grateful to all our stakeholders,” said port Executive Director Gene Seroka. “With container exchange per vessel at record levels, we will continue to enhance and optimize our port complex…
Seattle and Tacoma port officials recently joined ILWU Local 19 president and the head of local terminal operator SSA Terminals in breaking ground on Terminal 5, a modernization project that will allow the facility to handle larger cargo ships carrying up to 18,000 TEUs. Ships carrying 14,000 TEUs already visit the North and South harbors regularly. Activity at Terminal 5 means an estimated 6,600 new direct jobs and over $2 billion in business activity. Port officials approved $340 million in construction funds, while SSA Terminals invested up to $160 million toward the project. “Four years ago this August, our two ports announced the joining of our operations in order to better compete on a global scale,” said Clare Petrich, Port of Tacoma commission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport…
The Port of Oakland is handling bigger vessels with never-seen-before container volumes, a result stemming from shipping lines merging more cargo on larger ships, according to the port. The port is seeing volumes up by 5.5 percent compared to last year. It is handling an average load of 1,767 TEUs per vessel, the highest container move count in its history, which is 9 percent more than last year and 50 percent greater than 10 years ago. Some vessels are moving as many as 2,500 containers when they are in Oakland, challenging terminals to operate at a highly productive rate. “Ships still depart within 24 hours of arrival and harbor truckers are usually getting in and out with their container loads in less than 80 minutes,” said Port of Oakland Maritime…
Despite trade uncertainties, cargo volumes were up 9 percent at the Port of Oakland last month, according to the port’s latest numbers. The port handled about 85,964 imported TEUs in May, a 4.2 percent increase from the same time last year, and 78,070 exported TEUs, an 8.4 percent jump from May 2018 numbers. Last month marked the third consecutive month of improving import and export cargo volumes for Oakland, which at the moment appears to be bucking expectations of lowered numbers as a trade war between the U.S. and China is ongoing. “Logic tells us that at some point, tariffs should drive down cargo volumes because they’re making international trade more expensive,” explained Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “But our customers have so far defied conventional wisdom by…
The Port of Long Beach saw cargo volumes down 16.6 percent last month to 573,623 TEUs, according to recent statistics. Long Beach handled 290,568 TEUs in imports, a 19.5 percent drop from May 2018, and moved 120,577 TEUs in exports last month, a 15.3 percent decline. Empty containers also fell 11.7 percent to 162,479 TEUs last month. The numbers were challenged by May 2018’s historic high and various factors affecting international trade. “One year into the trade war, escalating tariffs have pushed retailers to order goods early, warehouses are brimming with inventory as a result, and in response, ocean carriers are managing their vessels to deal with reduced demand,” said port Executive Director Mario Cordero. “We are hopeful Washington and Beijing can resolve their differences before we see long-term changes…
The Port of Los Angeles reported its busiest May in its port history, handling 828,662 TEUs last month, according to new numbers released Tuesday. That’s a 7.8 percent increase from May 2018 and beats the prior record set in May 2018, when the nation’s busiest seaport moved 796,217 TEUs. Los Angeles also handled 427,789 imported TEUs last month, 5.5 percent more than last May, while it moved 167,357 TEUs of exports, a slight dip of 0.8 percent. Meanwhile, empty containers rose 20 percent to 233,515 TEUs last month compared to May 2018. “I’m extremely pleased with another record month of throughput and grateful to our supply chain stakeholders, terminal operators and unparalleled labor force for their performance,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “As we prepare for…
A 13-year-old cargo record had been broken last month at the Port of Long Beach. The port handled 628,121 TEUs shattering the 619,512 TEUs April 2016 record. It represents an increase of 1.6 percent compared to April 2018. Imports were up 1.8 percent to 317,883 TEUs compared to last year, while exports fell 12.7 percent to 123,804 TEUs. Empty containers jumped 13.5 percent to 186,435 TEUs. Port Executive Director Mario Cordero said the increase in empty containers reflect the lingering effects of imported cargo being rushed in during the fourth quarter of 2018 ahead of potential tariffs. “Ocean carriers have been busy repositioning containers back to Asia after sending so many to North America late last year,” said Cordero. “With peak season approaching, we’re expecting imports to continue to grow,…
The Port of Los Angeles posted its busiest April in history, moving 736,466 TEUs last month, according to latest numbers released Thursday. This represents a 4.4 percent increase over April 2018 and 3 percent more than April 2017, which previously held the record with 714,755 TEUs. This is despite flat imports, which were at 360,745 TEUs, and a 5.6 percent drop in exports to 155,533 TEUs. Empty containers, which are shipped overseas to be replenished with goods, jumped 22.5 percent to 220,189 TEUs. Compared to 2018, port volumes are up 4.5 percent in the first four months of the year. “With three-plus years of record throughput, we are focused on partnering with our stakeholders to refine operations for even greater efficiencies,” said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Despite heightened uncertainty…
By Karen Robes Meeks Shipments of scrap paper rose three percent in the first 10 months of 2018 at the Port of Oakland, bucking a trend for US exports. The port, which considers waste paper its biggest export by container volume, moved 110,400 TEUs of it between January and October 2018, close to 18 percent of Oakland’s total export volume. Most of it went to Asia to use for packaging material. The statistic is impressive, considering the tariff standoff between the US and China and China’s more stringent standards on foreign scrap. While scrap paper shipments to China, the port’s top trade partner, have been down 37 percent this year, other Asian countries have clamored for more scrap. In 2018 the demand in Taiwan was up 522 percent, while Vietnam…
