LA Shipping Reaches Highest Level Since Nov. 2008

SAN PEDRO, CA (Nov. 13, 2009) — Containers shipped through the Port of Los Angeles last month increased 10.9% compared to September, making October the strongest month yet for the Port this calendar year (see top chart above). Both containerized imports and exports reached their highest levels for 2009, with loaded outbound containers seeing an 11.8% rise over October 2008 volumes. Still, loaded inbound containers were 8.3% below October 2008 levels (data here).

Despite a reporting period that included a weeklong observance of a Chinese holiday, the total number of Twenty-Foot Equivalent (20-foot containers or “TEUs”) imported and exported through the Port of Los Angeles in October was 647,423. Total container volumes were 10.9% above September 2009 levels; loaded imports were up 9.6% and loaded exports were up 7.4% over the previous month. Year to date, TEU volume is at 5,606,798, or 15.4% lower than the same 10-month period in 2008.

MP: Container counts at the LA Port have increased in six out of the last eight months, and reached the highest total level since last November. On a year-to-year percent change basis, the 8.34% decrease in October was the smallest decrease in a year, since the 3.98% decrease from October 2007 to October 2008 (see bottom chart above).