The Port of Los Angeles has released its February 2014 cargo volumes. February overall volumes decreased 8.9 percent compared to February 2013. The decrease is due in part to the Chinese New Year, which closed many factories in Asia for two to three weeks in February. Last year, the holiday had a negative impact on March container volumes.

Container imports decreased 10.6 percent, from 318,547 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in February 2013 to 284,812 TEUs in February 2014. Exports dropped 6.2 percent, from 156,690 TEUs in February 2013 to 146,925 TEUs in February 2014.

Combined, total loaded imports and exports for February decreased 9.1 percent, from 475,237 TEUs in February 2013 to 431,738 TEUs in February 2014. Factoring in empties, which decreased 8.3 percent year over year, overall February 2014 volumes (559,786 TEUs) fell 8.9 percent compared to February 2013 (614,948 TEUs).