Both import and export container traffic at the Port of Long Beach rose in June compared to the same period a year ago, with imports up 3.5 percent and exports up 5.6 percent.

Last month, Port terminals moved 280,526 TEUs, or twenty-foot equivalent container units, of loaded inbound cargo compared to 271,113 TEUs in June 2011. Export containers accounted for 133,649 TEUs, compared to 126,588 TEUs in June 2011.

Overall, the Port moved 555,359 TEUs, up 0.2 percent from last year. The gains in imports and exports was offset by a drop in empty container moves. The Port moved 141,184 TEUs of empty container in June, more than any other month this year, but a drop of 9.8 percent from a year ago. Empty containers are sent overseas to be refilled with goods.

June was the busiest month year to date for calendar year 2012. Through first half of the year, overall container traffic at the Port is down 5 percent. The decrease in volumes is partly due to the elimination of several niche service strings that had called at the Port last year.