Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach both turn in strong April volumes

Following a very strong month of March and first quarter overall, April volumes at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Port of Long Beach (POLB) again shined, according to data recently issued by the ports.

POLA and POLB are the two largest North American ports, and they collectively account for more than 40 percent of U.S. imports.

Total POLA April volume was up 8.9 percent annually to 714,755 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), with port officials saying this marked the best-ever performance for the month of April in the 110 years the port has been in operation, topping April 2012, which came in at 707,182 TEU. What’s more, the port’s most recent five-year average for April volumes is 674,540, with April’s volumes standing as a 6 percent gain over the five-year average.

POLA April imports saw an 8.3 percent annual gain to 372,040 TEU, while exports rose 9.4 percent annually to 157,661 TEU. Empty containers increased 9.8 percent to 185,052 TEU.  

“April was the first month of new vessel alliance deployments around the globe, and we are pleased that the Port of Los Angeles provided world-class service and efficiency at our terminals,” said POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka in a statement. “We continue to seek new ways to improve operations, such as our new partnership with GE Transportation that will allow data access to our stakeholders that has never been seen before in our industry.”

On a year-to-date basis through April, total POLA volumes are up 10 percent annually compared to the first four months of 2016, which was an all-time volume high for the port.

As previously reported, among the various factors driving POLA growth was CMA CGM recently acquiring the APL terminal in Los Angeles at Pier 300,” Seroka said. “

And a port spokesman told LM in later 2017 that when CMA CGM brought in a vessel string to POLA from across San Pedro bay, it spiked its numbers as well.

“It is really a combination of organic growth and CMA CGM bringing in an additional vessel service and the displaced Hanjin cargo that had been going exclusively to Long Beach, with some of it now spilling over into Los Angeles,” the POLA official said.

Another factor working in POLA’s favor, he pointed out, is that over the last several months cargo moving into and out of POLA is moving with speed, efficiency, and reliability compared to just a few years ago, when he said the pace of cargo movement was crawling.

The improvements speak to changes the port has made for supply chain optimization tactics for things like chassis operations and turn times or working with various port stakeholders to ensure it can handle all of the cargo, which has proven to be effective, especially in recent months, with high cargo volume numbers and no major logistical issues.

POLB April volumes rose 16.5 percent to 558,014 TEU, with port officials pointing to drivers such as new business and changes to vessel deployments as the main catalyst’s for growth.

Imports were up 16.5 percent at 288,207 TEU, and exports saw a 3.1 percent annual gain to 116,260, while empties saw a 29.3 percent gain to 153,547 TEU. For the first four months of 2017, POLB cargo is up 5.1 percent annually at 2,144,394 TEU.

“We continue to be on pace for a strong year," said Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán in a statement. "In April, we were pleased to welcome back Hyundai Merchant Marine as well as a new customer, SM Line. As shipping lines around the world settle into new alliance routes, our many business partners can depend on Long Beach to provide a safe harbor for their goods with our signature efficient and sustainable services.”