Port of Los Angeles grows fast in container handling but the joy is not complete

The Port of Los Angeles on the US west coast reported a 27% increase in container throughput in June compared to the same period in 2020.

port-of-los-angeles-CA

Port of Los Angeles in the US (Photo: TTnews)

The Port of Los Angeles on the West Coast of the United States reported a 27% increase in container throughput in June compared with the same period in 2020 - a year with less than 11 million TEUs of throughput.

However, key figures show that exports have fallen to 2005 levels.

Exporters complained that ocean carriers shipped empty containers instead of exporting goods, which brought them significantly less revenue. According to the port's report, the decrease in export volume was 12% year-on-year, to just 96,000 TEUs.

“It was the lowest amount of exports at the port of Los Angeles since 2005,” the port authority acknowledged, adding that the number of “empty containers has increased to 312,600 TEUs, a 47 percent increase from last year.” , due to the large amount of demand in Asia”.

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is investigating complaints from exporters, especially of agricultural products, that shipping lines refuse to transport their goods, contrary to regulations of the United States, which requires all carriers to provide service to the same claimants.

So when US ports report record throughput, such as the 5.42 million TEUs handled in the first half of this year in Los Angeles, up 44% from 2020, it's not the joy time to all shippers, including many importers who can't afford the high shipping costs, or who simply can't find an empty container to ship their goods.

Read more: