Turnaround at the Port of Long Beach
Signs of relief are on the horizon: in May, cargo shipments rose again at the Port of Long Beach as the economic effects of anti-pandemic measures started to subside. The port handled 628,000 teu over the month, a 9.5% increase from May 2019.
Imports grew 7.6% to approx. 313,000 teu, while exports climbed 11.6% to 135,000 teu. Empty containers headed back overseas surged by 11.4% to 181,000 teu. Altogether, the port moved almost 2,831,000 teu during the first five months of 2020, which is at this stage 5.9% down from the same period in 2019.
“We aren’t out of the woods, but this is the gradual growth we have anticipated as the United States starts to rebound from the devastating economic impacts of Covid-19 and the trade war with China,” said Long Beach harbour commission president Bonnie Lowenthal. (mw)