THE Port of Los Angeles in 2017 handled 9.3 million TEU and the neighbouring Port of Long Beach seven million TEU, record container throughput results for both Californian ports, on the back of economic growth in the US.
'US consumers are confident and the economy has been strong,' said Long Beach Harbour Commission president Lou Anne Bynum.
Not to be out done by its larger state rivals, the port of Oakland earlier reported that 2017 was the busiest year in its history, after handling 2.4 million TEU on the back of a four per cent increase in import volumes, reported London's Loadstar.
Container traffic at US east coast ports was also up, with America's third biggest port of New York/New Jersey recording six per cent growth in imports last year and the Gulf port of Houston up 14 per cent against 2016.Global Port Tracker (GPT) said final US import numbers for 2017 were expected to be seven per cent higher than 2016 volumes, to reach 20.1 million TEU.
But Port Tracker also said the growth rate would 'slow down some' during 2018.
Yet transpacific carriers are in bullish mood and, notwithstanding the usual dip in demand around Chinese New Year, and are looking for general rate increases to coincide with the period.
Hapag-Lloyd, for example, is asking for an increase of US$700 per FEU from February 15 and other shipping lines are likely to follow suit with similar price hikes.
After the disconnect of full ships but falling spot rates for the majority of 2017, transpacific container lines are keen to boost market rates ahead of new annual contract negotiations which commence in March.
2017 finished on a high with a year-end rate hikes driving up spot rates from Asia to the US by 29 per cent for west coast ports and by 24 per cent for east coast ports.
'US consumers are confident and the economy has been strong,' said Long Beach Harbour Commission president Lou Anne Bynum.
Not to be out done by its larger state rivals, the port of Oakland earlier reported that 2017 was the busiest year in its history, after handling 2.4 million TEU on the back of a four per cent increase in import volumes, reported London's Loadstar.
Container traffic at US east coast ports was also up, with America's third biggest port of New York/New Jersey recording six per cent growth in imports last year and the Gulf port of Houston up 14 per cent against 2016.Global Port Tracker (GPT) said final US import numbers for 2017 were expected to be seven per cent higher than 2016 volumes, to reach 20.1 million TEU.
But Port Tracker also said the growth rate would 'slow down some' during 2018.
Yet transpacific carriers are in bullish mood and, notwithstanding the usual dip in demand around Chinese New Year, and are looking for general rate increases to coincide with the period.
Hapag-Lloyd, for example, is asking for an increase of US$700 per FEU from February 15 and other shipping lines are likely to follow suit with similar price hikes.
After the disconnect of full ships but falling spot rates for the majority of 2017, transpacific container lines are keen to boost market rates ahead of new annual contract negotiations which commence in March.
2017 finished on a high with a year-end rate hikes driving up spot rates from Asia to the US by 29 per cent for west coast ports and by 24 per cent for east coast ports.