In the course of the collapse of Korean ca[ds_preview]rrier Hanjin, the Port of Long Beach has to cope with a double-digit loss of container throughput.
It is one of the largest container ports of the U.S. and together with the Los Angeles the most important gateway for Asian goods at the Pacific Coast. Now Long Beach is hit by the insolvency of Hanjin and its consequences. In September, the port saw the container volumes declined 16.6 % year-over-year, as quite a big share of the throughput was delivered by Hanjin, formerly the 7th biggest container carrier in the world market.
According to the Port Authority, the number of containers handled during September was impacted not only by reduced calls by Hanjin-operated ships, »but also by the absence of Hanjin containers on vessels operated by fellow CKYHE Alliance members«. Hanjin Shipping containers would account for approximately 12.3 % of the Port’s total containerized volume, it was added.
Port officials said, longshore workers moved 546,805 twenty-foot equivalent units last month. This included 282,945 TEUs in imports, down 15 % from September 2015, a month which capped off the Port’s best quarter ever. Exports dropped to 120,383 TEUs, a decrease of 4.2 %. Empties were 27.2 % lower at 143,476 TEUs. Cargo volumes are down 4.6 % for the current calendar year to date in Long Beach.
