Long Beach Sees Robust Container Growth

The Port of Long Beach kicked off 2016 by logging its seventh straight month of cargo increases, showing a 24.8 percent jump in container shipments over the same month last year.

Port of Long Beach terminals moved 536,188 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units, the industry unit of measurement) last month. Imports were up 30.3 percent to 278,491 TEUs. Exports saw an increase of 8.4 percent to 106,739 container units. Empty containers rose 28.6 percent year over year, to 150,958 TEUs. Empty containers that were filled with items for post-holiday sales were sent back overseas to be reloaded with goods.
 
Long Beach continues to demonstrate its strength as the seaport of choice for trans-Pacific trade based on the Port’s compelling value proposition – being the shortest, fastest and most cost effective gateway for multi-modal movement of goods from Asia to America’s major consumer markets.

“We are encouraged by the strong start to the year, which stands in stark contrast to the congestion we faced a year ago,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup. “Our January results are another indicator that the hard work by our entire Port team – our customers, employees, business partners and key community stakeholders – continues to deliver superior results. We are off to a solid start in 2016 and will continue to make the necessary strategic investments in capital, energy and innovative solutions to ensure that Long Beach remains the port of choice for international trade.”
 
With an ongoing $4 billion program to modernize its facilities this decade, the Port of Long Beach is building the Port of the Future by investing in capital and service improvements that will bring long-term, environmentally sustainable growth, and maintain its competitive advantage as the fastest route from Asia to anywhere in North America.