February’s total was 530,967 TEUs (or twenty-foot equivalent container units). There were 279,144 TEUs of imports, the highest volume of import containers for a February since 2007. Exports rose to 140,626 TEUs.
Empties were up 44.2 percent to 111,197 TEUs. With imports exceeding exports, empty containers are sent overseas to be refilled with goods.
Trans-Pacific trade this time of year is often affected by the Lunar New Year holiday, which can slow goods production in many Asian countries that export to the U.S. The holiday is determined by the lunar calendar and in 2012 started in late January, which affected February 2012 numbers. This year, the holiday was in mid-February and its effects are more likely to be reflected in March statistics. Also, cargo increases in recent months are in part due to the more frequent use of larger ships and the addition of service lines to Long Beach. In the latter part of last year, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM, two of the largest ocean carriers in the world, established exclusive hubs at the Port of Long Beach.
