Imported containers at the port of Long Beach remained sluggish in April, dropping by nearly 7.5 percent from the same month a year ago.
This was in stark contrast to exported goods, which continued their bullish growth, rising by 35 percent. When combined, the overall April trade showed a drop in container trade of about four percent.
Containerised trade at Long Beach is down 6.5 percent so far this year when compared to the same time period in 2007.
Port terminals moved a total of 556, 585 TEUs in April, a decrease of 3.9 percent year-on-year. Imported containers decreased by 7.5 percent to 280,553 TEUs (the slowest April for imports since 2005), while export containers increased by 35 percent to 163,557 TEUs.
The port has seen double-digit increases in export container movement for 12 straight months, with nine months near or above 30 percent.
Because more containers are heading overseas filled with exports, the number of empty containers moving across Port terminals is declining.
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