2017 was a record year at the Port of Long Beach. Just one year after Hanjin’s bankruptcy temporarily slowed Long Beach’s momentum, container volumes came roaring back, totaling 7.5 million container units in CY2017 – the highest in the port’s 107-year history. Meanwhile, its neighboring port – the Port of Los Angeles – also reported a record year, handling 9.3 million TEU. Combined, the two Southern California ports processed 16.8 million TEU, the highest ever for the gateway.
The strong volumes were lifted by a growing global economy, vessel network optimization achieved by consolidation and the new ocean carrier alliances, as well as the ports’ focus on optimizing the supply chain. These are all good signs for a port complex that is forecast to move 40 million TEU by 2040. To accommodate that growth, the Southern California ports are stepping up their game by investing aggressively in their infrastructure…
