Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have mixed starts to 2014

January volumes at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Port of Long Beach (POLA) were somewhat mixed.

POLA kicked off 2014 with a 2.5 percent annual gain in January at 685,550 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit).

POLA imports, which are primarily comprised of consumer goods, hit 337,428 TEU for a 6.7 percent annual increase. Exports rose 1.7 percent to 161,938 TEU. Empty containers dropped 5.1 percent to 163,574 TEU.

POLA officials said that the annual bump in January volumes is related to shippers moving cargo ahead of Chinese New Year, which was on January 31.

The port also launched an incentive program rewarding carriers for moving more containers through the port, which a POLA spokesperson recently told LM could spur some additional and new cargo growth. It was approved last November and started in January.

January volume at POLB was down 1.4 percent annually at 528,884 TEU.

Imports were up 2 percent annually at 279,415 TEU, and exports were off 3.4 percent at 122,411 TEU. Empties saw a 6.3 percent decline at 127,058 TEU.

POLB officials are optimistic about 2014 volume prospects, coming off of 2013’s 6.73 million TEU, which stands as the third-best year ever for the port.

“We look forward to continued progress in 2014, building on the performance of 2013. We expect to be back to peak cargo levels at the Port of Long Beach by 2015 or 2016,” said Dr. Noel Hacegaba, Acting Deputy Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach, in a statement.