Port of Los Angeles Reports Cargo Numbers Up 22% From 2020
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Despite the backlog of ships that have made headlines over recent months, the Port of Los Angeles has reported a 22% increase in processed cargo from last year.
In 2020, the Port of Los Angeles reported the busiest month of October ever, processing nearly a million 20-foot equivalent units.
As reported on Thursday, the Port of LA processed 902,644 20-foot equivalent units in October 2021. Despite increased annual numbers, this is actually an 8% decrease in processed cargo from last year, thanks largely to the backlog of ships that has been plaguing the United States.
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka noted that this year's increase in product has certainly come with challenges, but new initiatives and measures have started to ease the strain around ports, "In recent weeks, clearing our docks of imports and empties has been a top priority. As a result, we've seen a marked improvement of fluidity on our marine terminals, which allows more vessels to be processed."
Seroka indicated that numbers are slowly returning to normal - there has been a 31% drop in import containers at marine terminals and a 35% decrease in import containers that remain at those terminals for longer than nine days.
A variety of efforts have been made to ease the backlog, including new stacking ordinances, fines and 24/7 working hours amongst other things.
The initial incurrence of the fines was actually delayed, as progress was quickly made in removing import containers when news of the fees was announced. It is expected that the new fee enforcement, the Container Excess Dwell Fee, will actually begin on Monday, November 22.
Seroka mentioned, "Amid the array of challenges facing the supply chain, we continue to deliver more cargo than ever."
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)