The Port of Los Angeles has announced it has recorded its busiest first quarter in its 109-year history, handling more than 2m Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) during the first three months of 2016. According to the announcement, overall volumes of 2,030,982 TEUs at the Port have increased 11.3% in the first quarter of 2016 compared to last year.
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, said, “Our first quarter growth is significant and encouraging.” Seroka added, “The feedback we are receiving from cargo owners and exporters is that the Port is delivering on speed, efficiency, cost and service. Our terminal operators and supply chain partners are working with us to continuously improve and optimize operations.”
The two largest container vessels currently calling North America, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin and the Maersk Edmonton, are scheduled to return to the Port of Los Angeles concurrently next week as the Port of Los Angeles continues to handle megaships and move larger container volumes per ship call.
Further details provided by the announcement were total March 2016 volumes registered at 612,863 TEUs. It was a drop of 22.6% compared to March 2015, when volumes surged after congestion issues were resolved. March 2016 imports decreased 33.3% to 287,231 TEUs compared to the previous year. Exports increased 9.5% to 159,362 TEUs in March. Empty container traffic dropped 22.8% to 166,269 TEUs. Combined, March overall volumes totalled 612,863 TEUs.
Source: Port of Los Angeles
