American consumers are shaking up the lower orders of the global port throughput rankings as demand for goods soars in North America.
Figures for the first six months of 2021 show Los Angeles/Long Beach & New York/New Jersey recorded year-on-year throughput growth of 41% and 31% respectively, with LA/LB processing more than 10 million TEU in the first half of the year.
LA/LB’s volumes have now overtaken those of Hong Kong & activity at the Californian port today rivals Tianjin, China’s sixth-largest port.
Although year-on-year increases are distorted by the drop in port throughput recorded in H1 2020, LA/LB also increased its volumes by nearly 24% compared to H1 2019.
NY/NJ meanwhile logged volumes of nearly 4.4 million TEU in the six-month period.
The increase was smaller than that seen at LA/LB but nevertheless represents a 31% increase in the same period in 2020 & 20% on H1 2019. The surge in traffic has led to severe congestion at the two ports.
Source: Alphaliner
