The Port of Los Angeles has released its December 2013 cargo volumes. December overall volumes increased 11.09 percent compared to December 2012. The increase is due in part to shippers moving cargo in advance of the Chinese New Year, which this year falls on January 31.

Imports increased 8.63 percent, from 296,874 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers in December 2012 to 322,500 TEUs this December. Exports jumped 16.85 percent, from 147,417 TEUs in December 2012 to 172,261 TEUs in December 2013.

Combined, total loaded imports and exports for December increased 11.36 percent, from 444,291 TEUs last December to 494,761 TEUs in December 2013. Factoring in empties, which increased 10.24 percent year over year, overall December 2013 volumes (653,358 TEUs) increased 11.09 percent compared to December 2012 (588,154 TEUs).