Long Beach Port Posts Record Volume in July

A record volume of cargo passed through the Port of Long Beach in July, largely a result of increased imports of back-to-school and Christmas merchandise, a port official said Friday.

Volume increased 20.2% last month compared to July 1997, with 378,714 containers moving through the port, said Hal Hilliard, the port’s marketing manager.

Rail delays caused cargo containers to pile up on the docks last fall, but the port increased storage space and bought more cargo-handling equipment to prevent a bottleneck, Hilliard said.

Incoming cargo in July climbed to a record 199,138 containers, up 17.2% over July 1997, he said.

“Our 17.2% growth in containerized imports substantiates what we have been told by America’s biggest retailers, that their orders for goods from Asian manufacturers will continue to grow in volume through the end of 1998,” Hilliard said.

He said the U.S. economy is strong and consumers are buying household and entertainment products from Asia now because they are less expensive due to that region’s economic crisis.