In the US, the Port of Los Angeles has revealed that imports increased 9.3 per cent to 324,758 TEU containers during March, up from 297,023 TEUs during the same month of 2011.
According to the Port, the year-on-year increase in imports reflects a surge in volume following the Chinese New Year break.
Exports dropped by 2.4 per cent on the previous year, the group said, exporting 188,155 TEUs compared with 192,849 TEUs in 2011, with empty containers up 24 per cent – attributed in part to shipping containers back to Asia as the Chinese New Year cycle came to a close.