ALSO. . .

* Imports through Long Beach harbor, the nation’s busiest container port, rose in November by nearly 9% over a year ago. Outbound cargo increased 8% as recovering Asian industries sought more U.S. raw material exports. Neighboring Port of Los Angeles this week also reported increased November trade.

* San Diego-based Sempra Energy won a $700-million contract to build Nova Scotia’s first natural gas utility system, the company’s biggest project outside the U.S.

* Vans Inc., the Santa Fe Springs-based maker of casual footwear and apparel, reported fiscal second-quarter net income for the period ended Nov. 27 of $2.7 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with $2.5 million, or 19 cents, a year ago. Sales rose 27% to $57.8 million.