The Port of Los Angeles announced that year-over-year container traffic surged 16 percent in 2010, with a record number of exports leading the way. Port exports rose 10.3 percent in 2010 to 1,841,274 TEUs compared to 1,668,911 in 2009 and surpassed the previous container export record of 1,782,502 TEUs in 2008. Meanwhile, imports increased 12.8 percent in 2010 (3,973,933 TEUs) compared to 2009 (3,524,386 TEUs).
“The 2010 volume gains far surpass our initial estimates, and we’ve been able to facilitate some export opportunities in the past year through our TradeConnect initiative and increased networking with local business stakeholders,” says Geraldine Knatz, port executive director. “We want to continue that momentum and work with local business entities to advance the president’s National Export Initiative agenda.”
The port reported handling a total of 7,831,902 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (20-foot containers or TEUs) in 2010 to remain the nation’s busiest trade gateway in terms of container volume. In December, the total number of TEUs imported and exported through the port was 612,651, an 8.82 percent increase over the 562,989 TEUs handled in December 2009. Loaded container exports were up 5.6 percent at 299,304 TEUs compared to 283,364 TEUs in December 2009.
