Ports: June volume gains in California and South Carolina; new AAPA chair

The Port of Long Beach's container volume in June rose 8 percent year over year to 610,516 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) — the highest June total since 2007.

Imports climbed 8.8 percent to 316,054 TEUs, exports rose 4.7 percent to 140,034 TEUs and empties jumped 9.3 percent to 154,428 TEUs.

"June was the third consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in container volume," port officials said in a press release. "Long Beach has seen an increase of 2.5 percent for the first six months of 2014 compared to the same time last year."

At the Port of Los Angeles, June volume totaled 736,438 TEUs, up 13.9 percent compared with June 2013 and the highest monthly volume since September 2012.

Imports climbed 16.5 percent to 382,666 TEUs, exports rose 8.5 percent to 160,823 TEUs, total loaded volume jumped 14 percent to 543,489 TEUs and empties increased 13.4 percent to 192,950 TEUs.

The South Carolina Ports Authority reported a strong June, too. The authority's ports handled 149,183 TEUs, up 19 percent year over year. Non-containerized cargo rose slightly to 83,399 pier tons.

Meanwhile, the American Association of Port Authorities' (AAPA) board last week elected Kristin Decas as incoming chair for 2014-15.

She will succeed outgoing AAPA Chairman Tay Yoshitani, the Port of Seattle's chief executive officer, and assume the post in November at the conclusion of the association’s annual convention in Houston.

Decas has served as the CEO and director of the Port of Hueneme, Calif., since February 2012. Last year, the port marked its most active trade year and achieved its strongest fiscal performance since its inception in 1937, AAPA officials said in a press release.

Decas previously was the CEO and director for the Port of New Bedford, Mass., for five years. She recently was appointed by the U.S. Department of Transportation to both the National Freight Advisory Committee and U.S. Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council.