The Southern California ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles experienced a 3 percent drop in cargo vessel calls during 2007, with decreases affecting nearly all vessel categories and ranging from 2 percent for container vessels to 31 percent for dry bulk vessels.
Total vessel calls at the two ports, which retained their title last year as the nation's busiest container port complex despite a 0.6 percent drop in total container traffic over 2006, declined to 5,881, a loss of 206 vessel calls over 2006.
As reported by the Marine Exchange of Southern California, which tracks vessel activity at the two ports, the declines at Los Angeles-Long Beach harbor for 2007 were: dry bulk (down 31 percent), general cargo (30 percent), vehicle carriers (6 percent) roll-on/roll-off (6 percent), containerships (3 percent) and cruise ships (2 percent).
The only two cargo vessel category to record an increase at the two ports during 2007 were barges, up 8 percent; and reefer vessels, 3 percent ahead of 2006.
Other increases in vessel activity at the two ports during 2007 included: repair calls, up 129 percent; and bunker-only calls, up 9 percent.
Individually, Long Beach recorded 2,775 arrivals in 2007, slightly edging Los Angeles, which reported 2,652 total vessel calls for the year, 5 percent and 6 percent drops, respectively.
While making clear that it is still too early in the current year to make a long-term forecast, a Marine Exchange analysis said: "We are not optimistic as to what 2008 will bring.?Based on activity through the first part of January, the Marine Exchange finds that activity is already running below normal, with the two ports averaging about 15 arrivals per day and some days seeing less than 10 arrivals.
"There is no reason to believe that arrivals will increase in the near future," the report said, "but rather, that we will continue to see -- at best -- a "status quo" by hopefully holding the arrival counts the same for this coming year in our annual totals -- and given the trends we're seeing now for international trade patterns."
In a positive note for 2008, the Marine Exchange said carriers and shippers are still "seeking L.A.-L.B. harbor to be their principal gateway for Pacific Rim containerized cargoes this coming year."
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