Port of Long Beach sees small decline in business in 2011
Long Beach, the nation’s second-busiest cargo container seaport, saw a small decline in business of 3.2% in 2011 compared with the previous year, port officials said today.
The Port of Long Beach handled 6.1 million cargo containers in 2011. Imports through the port of Long Beach were down 3.3% compared with 2010. Exports were down 3.6%. The number of empty containers handled by the port fell 2.7% compared with a year earlier.
Long Beach port officials attributed the decline to a weak economic recovery in the U.S. The port was also operating just six cargo terminals in 2011, down from its usual seven terminals.
California United Terminals left the Port of Long Beach in late 2010, relocating to the neighboring Port of Los Angeles. Port officials said California United Terminals represented about 10% of its business, adding that 2011 cargo traffic improved in the remaining six terminals compared with the same six in 2010.
Among the nation’s primary seaports, only neighboring Los Angeles moves more cargo containers than Long Beach.
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