Port Activity Up
Reversing months of declining cargo activity, the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles on Jan. 14 reported that traffic was up in December.
The Port of Long Beach saw imported cargo rise 13.4 percent in December compared with the same period in 2008. Exported cargo soared more than 30 percent. This was the first gain in cargo activity since December 2007. “These numbers are far better than expected and may very well be the first signs of an economic recovery,” said Richard Steinke, executive director of the Port of Long Beach.
For 2009, the port saw total cargo-container traffic decline 22 percent over 2008. It was the weakest year since 2003.
Next door at the Port of Los Angeles, overall cargo volume in December inched up .35 percent over the same period in 2008. For 2009, total container volume dropped 14 percent compared with the previous year. The port is expecting modest growth for 2010.—Deborah Belgum
