The Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest seaport, today reported the best April tonnage figures in its 110-year history, with total twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) volumes rising 8.9 percent from the same period a year ago.

The port handled 714,755 TEUs last month, eclipsing the previous record for April set in 2012. Total loaded volumes of 529,702 TEUs increased 8.6 percent compared to the previous year. Empty containers grew 9.8 percent to 185,052 TEUs. Imports increased 8.3 percent to 372,040 TEUs, while exports increased 9.4 percent to 157,661 TEUs, according to port data.

Last month's volumes represented a 6 percent increase over the five-year average of April activity, the port said. Volumes through April were up 10 percent from the first four months of 2016, which ended up being a record year for port traffic.

April marked the launch of three global containership alliances composed of the 12 main liner companies. Alliances allow steamship lines to pool their fleets and to move containers on one another's behalf. Carriers say the use of alliances enables them to increase their service offerings and geographic coverage at a fraction of the cost of a single carrier buying and operating vessels for weekly sailings across a global port network.