PORT OF LOS ANGELES BREAKS EXPORT VOLUME RECORD;
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA SAYS PORT PRIMED TO FURTHER BOOST NATIONAL EXPORT INITIATIVE
Port Reports 16% Increase in Containerized Cargo for 2010
SAN PEDRO, Calif. - Jan. 13, 2010 - Year-over-year container traffic at the Port of Los Angeles surged 16 percentin 2010, with a record number of exports leading the way. Port exports rose 10.3 percent in 2010 to 1,841,274 TEUs compared to 1,668,911 in 2009 and surpassed the previous container export record of 1,782,502 TEUs in 2008. Meanwhile, imports increased 12.8 percent in 2010 (3,973,933 TEUs) compared to 2009 (3,524,386 TEUs). Complete statistics are available here.
With this 16 percent increase in 2010 container volumes, the Port of Los Angeles is putting people back to work and doing its part to help President Obama meet his goal to double national exports over the next five years,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “This is good news not only for Los Angeles, but cities across the nation.
Added Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz Ph.D.: “The 2010 volume gains far surpass our initial estimates, and we’ve been able to facilitate some export opportunities in the past year through our TradeConnect initiative and increased networking with local business stakeholders. We want to continue that momentum and work with local business entities to advance the President’s National Export Initiative agenda.
We not only have the port resources to help increase export trade, we have a coalition of regional business and civic leaders focused on facilitating the growing dialogue on exports – identifying ways to help businesses here and elsewhere increase their export activity,” said Tracy Rafter, Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed). BizFed has facilitated business forums in L.A. and Long Beach to hear from local companies and will report findings to the President’s Export Council (PEC) through BizFed member Gene Hale, who chairs the PEC’s Small & Medium-Size Business Engagement Subcommittee.
The Port handled a total of 7,831,902 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (20-foot containers or TEUs, including empties), in 2010 and remains the nation’s busiest trade gateway in terms of container volume. In December, the total number of TEUs imported and exported through the Port of Los Angeles was 612,651, an 8.82 percent increase over the 562,989 TEUs handled in December 2009. Loaded container exports were up 5.6 percent at 299,304 TEUs compared to 283,364 TEUs in December 2009.
Throughout 2010 and again this year, the Port is focusing on assisting businesses throughout the region learn the basics of exporting, including costs, risks, finding overseas markets, trade financing and logistics. Export workshops occur throughout the year.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy as well as the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates 919,000 regional jobs and $39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars.