Long Beach cargo volumes up 6 percent in Q1 2016

Cargo shipments at the Port of Long Beach were up 6.1 percent for the first three months of 2016 compared to the same period last year, starting the year off strongly. Lifted by big gains in January and February, the quarter was the Port’s best since 2007, the company said in its press release.
 
While March 2015 volumes soared 32 percent over the same month in 2014 due to the exceptional recovery from cargo backlogs early last year— March 2016’s container volumes were down 26.2 percent. Other factors contributing to this March’s smaller monthly total included the Lunar New Year, when many factories in East Asia shut down for one to two weeks.
 
In March, Long Beach marine terminals handled a total of 464,855 twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs, the industry standard for measuring container cargo. Imports decreased 34.6 percent to 207,635 TEUs and exports were flat at 127,210 TEUs. Empty containers, which are sent back overseas to be refilled with more goods, decreased 29.8 percent to 130,010 TEUs.
 
With an ongoing $4 billion program to modernize its facilities this decade, the Port of Long Beach is investing in capital and service improvements that will bring long-term green growth and maintain its compelling value proposition.