Ports keep struggling

August exports show signs of life at both the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, but the import situation remains pretty awful - in L.A., down 19.3 percent from August 2008 and in Long Beach, down 11.7 percent. Calculated Risk post says those import numbers are at August 2003 levels, and that 2009 could be the weakest import year since 2002. What these results show, once again, is the reluctance by U.S. retailers to invest heavily in the upcoming holiday shopping period. They also mean continued tough times within Socal's international trade and logistics sector.