L.A.-area ports pumped up volume in December

The Port of Los Angeles reported December volume totaling 653,358 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 11.1 percent compared with December 2012 statistics.

"The increase is due in part to shippers moving cargo in advance of the Chinese New Year, which this year falls on Jan. 31," port officials said in a press release.

Imports increased 8.6 percent to 322,500 TEUs, exports jumped 16.8 percent to 172,261 TEUs, combined loaded imports and exports climbed 11.4 percent to 494,761 TEUs, and empties rose 10.2 percent to 158,597 TEUs.

For calendar-year 2013, the port's total container volume decreased 2.6 percent to 7,868,582 TEUs.

Meanwhile, the Port of Long Beach, Calif., reported December volume of 582,443 TEUs, up 4 percent year over year. Exports rose 9.3 percent to 148,150 TEUs, imports dipped 1.4 percent to 291,434 TEUs and empties climbed 10.8 percent to 142,859 TEUs.

For the full year, the port's volume rose more than 10 percent to 6,730,573 TEUs.