LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Port of Los Angeles saw the busiest September as well as the best single three-month quarter in the port's 114-year history, a port official told Xinhua on Friday, saying "China has contributed significantly to the increase in cargo volume in recent months."

According to the monthly report from the North America's leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the port processed 883,625 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in September, an increase of 13.3 percent compared to the same month of 2019, and the total volume between July and September reached 2,701,847 TEUs.

September loaded imports increased 17.3 percent to 471,795 TEUs compared to the same month of the previous year, loaded exports decreased 0.3 percent to 130,397 TEUs, and empty containers increased 14 percent to 281,434 TEUs, the port reported.

"Despite unresolved questions about our nation's health, economy and export strength, imports have improved significantly after a difficult spring," said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka at an online meeting Wednesday.

In an email replied to Xinhua on Friday, Phillip Sanfield, director of media relations at the port, said the revival of trade between the United States and China contributed to the September's surge and he predicted the trend would continue.

"China accounts for more than 50 percent of the imports coming into the Port of Los Angeles," he said. "China has contributed significantly to the increase in cargo volume in recent months."

"We are not looking at this recent surge as an economic recovery (that would need to be a trend of about six months or longer) but more as a replenishment of warehouse and distribution center inventories, along with retailers prepping for year-end holidays. After staying home much of this spring, American consumers are buying again," Sanfield said.

"We are expecting strong volumes again for October, more TEU container units than we saw in September," he added. Enditem

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