Congestion Dragged Down January Cargo Movement, Says Port of Long Beach

Congestion at the West Coast seaports hurt cargo movement in January at the Port of Long Beach, the port said (here). The month's containerized cargo imports accounted for some 213,667 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 23.5 percent decline from January 2014, it said. Exports were down 19.6 percent to 98,462 TEUs and empty containers declined 7.6 percent to 117,361 TEUs, said the port. The decreases were a result of the congestion and related labor contract dispute, the port said. “We have been strongly urging the two parties to come to an agreement on a new contract, so that we can clear the backlog of cargo on the docks and the ships anchored off the coast,” said Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Jon Slangerup. “We are encouraged by recent progress through federal mediation and are hopeful that the contract will be signed soon, so that the Port complex can focus on returning operations to a normal pace.”