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Last month, container volume at the Port of Long Beach, Calif., dropped 15.2 percent to 388,589 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) compared with February 2011.

Imports fell 18.1 percent to 191,475 TEUs, exports dipped 1.6 percent to 120,006 TEUs and empties plunged 25 percent to 77,108 TEUs.

“The drop in imports in February is partly attributable to the early Chinese New Year. Import volumes typically fall following the New Year as factories in Asia close for a week or more during the holidays,” port officials said in a prepared statement. “Last year, the New Year fell on Feb. 3 and the slow down was felt in the latter part of the month and into early March. This year, the New Year fell on Jan. 23, putting the entire slow down period in February.”

Meanwhile, the Port of Los Angeles in February handled a total of 525,653 TEUs, down 5.3 percent compared with February 2011. Imports dropped 7.8 percent to 254,360 TEUs, total loaded units dipped 1.7 percent to 419,085 TEUs and empties fell 17.2 percent to 106,569 TEUs. However, exports increased 9.6 percent to 164,725 TEUs.

In 2012’s first two months, the port handled a total of 1,224,369 TEUs, up 0.7 percent year over year.