[ Port of LA Imports Soar 20% in July ]

The Port of Los Angeles last month handled 330,245 units of 20-foot-
long cargo containers, establishing the second-highest one-month total
in Port history and an unprecedentd third consecutive month that the
Port has handled 300,000 or more twenty-foot equivalent units(TEUs).

Al Fierstine, director of business development for the Port, stated,
"Economic proserity and consumer confidence in the United States cont
inue to propel import demand and growth. Economic stability in Asia,
though still somewhat fragile, has ignited a sudden and welcome recove
ry in export shipments after a predominantly downward trend."

The Port moved 176,445 inbound loaded TEUs last month, a soaring 20%
rise of 29,116 TEUs compared to July 1998. The inbound loaded total
for July 1999 also surpassed the previous monthly record of 175,535 TE
Us set just two months ago.

In the first seven months of this year, the Port handled 1,060,276 T
EUs of loaded import containers, a 10 % increase of 97,585 TEUs compar
ed to the year-earlier period. Moreover, in a month-to-month compariso
n, loaded import volume has been higher this year in six out of the se
ven months.

On the export side, 66,948 outbound loaded TEUs were handled by the
Port last month, an 8% rise of 4983 TEUs compared to July 1998.

In May through July, the Port handled 204,536 TEUs of loaded export
containers, a 5.3% increase over a smaller period in 1998. In contrast
, Feburary through April 1999 lagged 9.8% behind Feburary through Apri
l 1998.

In terms of total container volume, including inbound and outbound e
mpty cargo containers, the Port has handled 2,074,724 TEUs so far this
calender year. That figure represents a 9.9% increase of 186,938 TEUs
compared to the year-earlier period.