LA-LB imports down 9.4 percent in August
Import volume at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach signaled weak demand heading into the peak fall shipping season in August, falling 9.4 percent compared to last year and slipping sequentially from July to August, the Journal of Commerce reported.
Figures released by both Southern California ports Wednesday showed combined containerized imports falling back 0.7 percent from July, including an 8 percent month-to-month drop at the Port of Long Beach.
Long Beach’s 267,198 20-foot equivalent container units was off 14.2 percent from last year and gave the port its lightest month for imports since March.
Los Angeles had its busiest month for inbound volume in a year, but the 376,190 TEUs also was 5.8 percent behind the same month a year ago, when Los Angeles had its strongest month since the global trade recession.
The setback on the import side came as a growing number of industry officials, from shippers to rail executives, forecasts a shorter, flatter fall shipping season. Retailers are putting off holiday season deliveries, officials say, and trying to keep inventories tight amid signs of a stagnant U.S. economy.
But exports at the California ports belied the weakness on the inbound side, growing a combined 11.2 percent and accelerating for the third straight month.
Loaded outbound TEU volume at Los Angeles soared 24.8 percent over last year, and jumped 12.8 percent from July to August. Exports at Long Beach were weaker, falling 3.8 percent compared to last year to the lowest point so far in 2011.
Figures released by both Southern California ports Wednesday showed combined containerized imports falling back 0.7 percent from July, including an 8 percent month-to-month drop at the Port of Long Beach.
Long Beach’s 267,198 20-foot equivalent container units was off 14.2 percent from last year and gave the port its lightest month for imports since March.
Los Angeles had its busiest month for inbound volume in a year, but the 376,190 TEUs also was 5.8 percent behind the same month a year ago, when Los Angeles had its strongest month since the global trade recession.
The setback on the import side came as a growing number of industry officials, from shippers to rail executives, forecasts a shorter, flatter fall shipping season. Retailers are putting off holiday season deliveries, officials say, and trying to keep inventories tight amid signs of a stagnant U.S. economy.
But exports at the California ports belied the weakness on the inbound side, growing a combined 11.2 percent and accelerating for the third straight month.
Loaded outbound TEU volume at Los Angeles soared 24.8 percent over last year, and jumped 12.8 percent from July to August. Exports at Long Beach were weaker, falling 3.8 percent compared to last year to the lowest point so far in 2011.