Due to terminal congestion, protracted contract negotiations and other supply chain issues affecting West Coast ports, container volumes at the Port of Los Angeles decreased 22.7 percent in January compared to the same month last year. January 2015 cargo volumes totaled 529,427 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) compared to 685,549 TEUs in January 2104. Current and historical data is available here.

The numbers aren't a surprise to us, and last week's announcement of a tentative labor agreement between the International Longshore Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association is a major step forward in terms of getting our cargo volumes back on track, said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. We're working with our stakeholders to develop short-term solutions that resolve our present cargo backlog, in addition to longer-term solutions that focus on achieving higher levels of operational efficiency -- especially in terms of servicing the larger ships deployed through carrier alliances.

Imports dropped 28 percent, from 360,036 TEUs in January 2014 to 259,206 TEUs in January 2015. Exports declined 23 percent, from 161,938 TEUs in January 2014 to 124,365 TEUs in January 2015. Combined, total loaded imports and exports fell 26.5 percent, from 521,975 TEUs in January 2014 to 383,571 TEUs in January 2015. Factoring in empties, which fell 10.8 percent, overall January 2015 volumes (529,427 TEUs) declined 22.7 percent.