In them month of June the Port of Los Angeles saw a 9.6% decrease in container volume at the port compared with same period in 2019.
This saw a throughput of 691,475 TEU at the Port.
Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said, “Given the circumstances we’re not in bad shape for the month of June. I’ll take this number of 691,475 [TEU] during the midst of trade ware and the ongoing pandemic.”
The first half of 2020 saw a 17.1% decrease compared with 2019. This saw a throughput of 3.76 million TEU in 2020 compared with 4.54 million TEU in 2019.
Imports are down 13.7% and exports continue to “take a beating” as they are down 17.7%, both for the first half 2020.
In focus: How has COVID-19 affected the US West Coast?
However, one indicator that there could be a modest uptick of imports in months to come is the movement of empty containers which declined 7.2% in June 2020 compared with 2019 and a first half 2020 decline of 22.4%.
Cargo volume projections for the calendar year 2020 stand at 7.9 million TEU.
“The double hit of the pandemic and the trade policy [out of Washington DC] is in clear focus with level of cargo volume not seen since the great recession,” Seroka commented.
Meanwhile, in a video address Seroka the endorsed the recommendations made by Federal Maritime Commission and Federal Maritime Commissioner Rebecca Dye that could improve cargo efficiency in the San Pedro Bay.
These recommendations included a call for carriers to provide at least seven days’ notice on blank or cancelled sailings and make this information highly visible.
Blank sailings have become a norm for liner companies during the COVID-19 crisis as the pandemic’s economic shock impacted supply and demand.
