The Port of Los Angeles has released its November 2013 cargo volumes. November overall volumes increased 17.3 percent compared to November 2012. The increase is due in part to larger vessels calling at the Port as well as improvement in the U.S. economy.

Imports increased 18.7 percent, from 288,273 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers in November 2012 to 342,247 TEUs this November. Exports jumped 23.3 percent, from 145,344 TEUs in November 2012 to 179,175 TEUs in November 2013.

Combined, total loaded imports and exports for November increased 20.2 percent, from 433,617 TEUs last November to 521,422 TEUs in November 2013. Factoring in empties, which increased 8.7percent year over year, overall November 2013 volumes (683,849 TEUs) increased 17.3 percent compared to November 2012 (582,981 TEUs). After 11 months of 2013, total container volumes (7,215,223) have decreased 3.7 percent compared to 2012 (7,489,560).