CARGO volumes in January through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach augur well for coming year of the Ox, 2021.

Total LA volume - 835,516 TEU - saw a 3.6 per cent annual increase, marking the sixth straight month of annual cargo gains, buoyed by ongoing strong Covid-related consumer spending activity.

January imports - at 437,609 TEU - increased 5.5 per cent annually, with exports - at 119,327 TEU - off 19.5 per cent compared to January 2020, falling for the 25th time in the last 27 months. Empty containers, which the port said remain in high demand in Asia, saw a 14.5 per cent annual gain, to 278,580 TEU.

Despite volumes being up for the sixth consecutive month, January's tally fell short of the cumulative average of more than 908,000 TEU per month, as was the case over the last six months of 2020, which Port of Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka called a "dramatic turnaround" compared to the first six months of 2020, which had an average of 627,000 TEU.

"In January, 87 containerships berthed at the Port of Los Angeles, including eight additional extra loaders to meet the high demand in Asia," Mr Seroka said.

Total Long Beach January volume came in at 764,006 TEU, for a 21.9 per cent annual increase, for its highest-volume January on record, which it attributed to increased pandemic-related consumer spending.

What's more, this marked the first time that Long Beach handled more than 700,000 TEU in the month of January, topping January 2018's previous record by 106,176 TEU.

January Long Beach imports - at 364,255 TEU - increased 17.5 per cent annually, and exports - at 116,254 TEU - saw a seven per cent gain. Empties were up 34.65 per cent to 270,221 TEU.

Said Long Beach port director Mario Cordero: "After the volatility with cargo volumes in 2020, we hope to see some stability and continued economic recovery over the next year as we remain focused on attracting business and building for the future."