The Port of Los Angeles has recorded its busiest Q1 in its 109-year history, handling more than two million TEU during the first three months of 2016.
Overall volumes of more than 2.03 million TEU at the port have increased 11.3% in Q1, 2016 compared to 2015.
Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, said: “Our Q1 growth is significant and encouraging. The feedback we are receiving from cargo owners and exporters is that the port is delivering on speed, efficiency, cost and service.
“Our terminal operators and supply chain partners are working with us to continuously improve and optimise operations.”
Total March, 2016 volumes registered at more than 610,000 TEU. It was a drop of 22.6% compared to March, 2015, when volumes surged after congestion issues were resolved.
The Port of Los Angeles also saw a huge volume surge in February, 2016 after throughput soared by 42% to reach more than 700,000 TEU.
The two largest container vessels currently calling at North America, the 18,000 TEU CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin and the Maersk Edmonton, are scheduled to return to the Port of Los Angeles concurrently next week as the Port of Los Angeles continues to successfully handle megaships and move larger container volumes per ship call.
A further six 18,000 TEU mega-ships are due to be deployed along the US West Coast (USWC) by CMA CGM, which will put USWC ports to the test, especially with regards to handling mega-ships simultaneously.
Automation has been mooted as the logical response to these bigger class of ships, which is reflective in the ooperations currently taking place at LA’s automated Trapac Terminal.
Watch a key interview with Mr Seroka on the methods ports can use to handle mega-ships:
