Ports of Los Angeles and Oakland see annual gains in October

Cargo volumes at the Port of Los Angeles increased nearly 16 percent in October compared to the same period last year, marking the busiest month ever at a Western Hemisphere container port, according to data collected by the American Association of Port Authorities. 

Total volumes registered at 814,574 Twenty-Foot Equivalents (TEUs), eclipsing the previous record of 800,063 TEUs at the Port of Los Angeles in October 2006.

October imports increased 16.4 percent to 417,311 TEUs. Exports jumped 23.3 percent to 166,406 TEUs. Along with a 18.3 percent surge in empty containers, overall October container volumes were 814,574 TEUs.

With total cargo volumes through the first 10 months of 2016 at 7,182,682 TEUs, it represents an increase of 5.25 percent compared to the same period in 2015.

Meanwhile, the Port of Oakland reports that its export volume reached a three-year high in October, soaring 20 percent over 2015 totals.  The port reported today that it shipped the equivalent of 89,473 export containers last month.  That was the most since Oct. 2013, the port said, and the fourth-largest monthly total in its history.

The figures cap a yearlong rally that has lifted Oakland exports 10 percent above 2015 volume year-to-date.  They re-enforce the Port’s position as one of the top export gateways in the U.S.

“Increased export volume is nothing new – we’ve reported gains in nine of the first 10 months of the year,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll.  “But the amount of volume growth highlights just how strong this rally is.”

The port said a softer U.S. dollar and healthy agricultural harvests helped drive export gains.  Growers in California’s Central, Napa and Salinas valleys depend on Oakland to reach markets in Asia.

The port reported that containerized import cargo volume increased 2 percent in October.  Overall loaded container volume – imports and exports – was up 11.4 percent.

The Port of Long Beach did not fare as well as its West Coast brethren, with total container volumes down 6.2 percent annually at 581,808 TEU, due to what it called the ongoing fallout from the Hanjin bankruptcy.

POLB exports dropped 1.2 percent at 126,770 TEU, and imports fell 3.7 percent to 296,711 TEU, while empties were down 13.8 percent at 158,327 TEU.

Export TEUs were 1.2 percent down, relatively flat compared to last October, to 126,770 TEUs. Total imports were 296,711 TEUs, 3.7 percent off. Empty containers experienced the largest drop of 13.8 percent to 158,327 boxes.

POLA officials said that Hanjin Shipping containers represented around 12.3 percent of its total volume, adding that its recently took steps to clear a backlog of empty containers related to the Hanjin bankruptcy, which freed up a large number of chassis to speed the efficient flow of cargo through the Southern California supply chain.

On a year-to-date basis, total POLB volumes are down 4.8 percent through October.

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