The Port of Los Angeles handled 826,640 TEU in January 2017, an increase of 17.4 % compared to January 2016. It was the busiest January in the port’s 110-year history, outpacing last January.
January 2016 figures had already been the previous record for the first month of the yea[ds_preview]r. The starting month of 2017 was also the second-best month overall for the Port, eclipsed only by last November’s 877,564 TEUs.
»Coming off our best year ever in 2016, it’s very encouraging to keep the momentum going into 2017,« said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.
The January surge is due in part to retail stores replenishing inventories after the holidays, a trend of increased U.S. exports and cargo ships calling ahead of the Lunar New Year, when goods from Asia slow down considerably. Over the most recent 10-year period, January volumes at the Port of Los Angeles have averaged 645,142 TEUs.
January 2017 imports increased 13.1 % to 415,423 TEUs compared to the previous year. Exports surged 28.7 % to 162,420 TEUs in January. Total loaded imports of 577,843 TEUs increased 17.1 % compared to the previous year. Empty containers jumped 17.9 % to 248,797 TEUs. Combined, January overall volumes were 826,640 TEUs, a 17.4 % increase compared to last year.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value. L.A. facilitated 274 bn $ in trade during 2016.
