Tariffs continue to affect trade at nation’s second-busiest port
Cargo volume dropped 3.5% last month at the Port of Long Beach as restrictive tariffs continued to drag on the national supply chain.
Dockworkers moved 599,985 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in November, 3.5% less than the same month last year. Imports slid 8.3% to 293,287 TEUs, while exports were up 6.9% to 123,705 TEUs. Empty containers headed overseas decreased 1.7% to 182,992 TEUs.
Dockworkers moved 6,966,771 TEUs during the first 11 months of 2019, putting the Port on track for its second-busiest year and 5.2% down from last year’s record-setting pace.
“The effects of these tariffs are being felt by everyone, from American manufacturers and farmers to the consumers who purchase goods moving through our Port complex,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “As we wait for a resolution to this protracted trade war, the Port will remain competitive by delivering exceptional customer service and moving ahead with capital improvement projects that will allow us to grow well into the future.”
“We appreciate our terminal operators, truckers, unionized dockworkers and all the other men and women who keep our Port humming with activity,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal. “We’re hoping to close the year on a positive note that focuses on our continuing efforts to move cargo efficiently and sustainably.”
