Long Beach Boxes Drop 40 Percent

Official Export Guide

Continuing unfavorable economic conditions were reflected at the Port of Long Beach in February, as the movement of cargo containers slowed by 40 percent to the lowest level since 2004.

The port attributes most of the steep drop to continued economic weakness in the U.S. and Asia, but a shift of some cargo to smaller ships returning to their homeport in the San Pedro Bay, the timing of Chinese New Year, and a one-day shorter February contributed to push the February numbers even lower.

Port shipping terminals moved 318,042 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) in February. Compared to February 2008, imported containers dropped 43.3 percent, to 149,299 TEUs, and containers bound for export were down 37 percent to 92,781 TEUs. Empty containers, most of which are sent overseas to be refilled with products, were down 36.3 percent to 75,962 TEUs.

“The numbers are now showing what we’ve been seeing for the past few months — fewer ships, fewer containers and most troubling, less work for those in port-related businesses,” said Port Executive Director Richard D. Steinke.