THE twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach saw sluggish import activity in January, indicating the rush to import Chinese goods ahead of possible hefty tariff hikes may be past, after import traffic at Los Angeles rose by just 1.7 per cent compared to the same month last year and volumes dipped marginally at the port of Long Beach.
Last year both ports achieved record volumes as retailers scrambled to bring in products to avoid possible tariffs on US$200 billion worth on Chinese goods, reported Los Angeles Business Journal.
'It was a mad rush to get your goods past customs,' said Beacon Economics international trade adviser Jock O'Connell. 'Clearly for January, the rush is over.'
US President Donald Trump reportedly indicated he may let a March 1 deadline for agreement between the two trade giants slip, unnerving markets.
'As long as the economy is performing well, we expect our container trade to mirror it,' said Long Beach port executive director Mario Cordero.
Long Beach imported 323,838 TEU in January, a 0.3 per cent decrease against 2017. Los Angeles brought in 429,923 TEU, up 1.7 per cent. Overall Long Beach handled 657,286 TEU compared to Los Angeles, which moved 852,449 TEU overall.
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Last year both ports achieved record volumes as retailers scrambled to bring in products to avoid possible tariffs on US$200 billion worth on Chinese goods, reported Los Angeles Business Journal.
'It was a mad rush to get your goods past customs,' said Beacon Economics international trade adviser Jock O'Connell. 'Clearly for January, the rush is over.'
US President Donald Trump reportedly indicated he may let a March 1 deadline for agreement between the two trade giants slip, unnerving markets.
'As long as the economy is performing well, we expect our container trade to mirror it,' said Long Beach port executive director Mario Cordero.
Long Beach imported 323,838 TEU in January, a 0.3 per cent decrease against 2017. Los Angeles brought in 429,923 TEU, up 1.7 per cent. Overall Long Beach handled 657,286 TEU compared to Los Angeles, which moved 852,449 TEU overall.
WORLD SHIPPING