LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Driven by increased exports and imports, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled more cargo containers last month, according to figures published on Thursday.

    This signaled the beginning of a long awaited economic rebound, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web.

    The Port of Los Angeles, which ranks first in the U.S., handled 562,990 cargo containers last month, a tiny increase of 0.35 percent over the 561,033 recorded in the same month a year earlier. The increase was driven by a huge 40.2 percent increase in exports, which climbed to 153,836 containers from 109,704 a year earlier.

    The Port of Long Beach moved 467,237 containers in December, up8.7 percent from the 429,946 handled a year earlier. Imports were the driver there, registering a 13.4 percent gain to 232,586 containers from 205,031 a year earlier.

    The spike in exports "was a nice way to put a tough year behind us," said Geraldine Knatz, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, adding, "We are cautiously optimistic about 2010."

    Port of Long Beach Executive Director Richard D. Steinke called the December numbers "great news for our region and the nation," adding that he hoped it marked "the beginning of an ongoing, upward trend."

    For the year, the Port of Los Angeles handled 6.75 million containers, the fewest since 2002 and a decline of 14 percent from the 7.85 million handled in 2008.

    Long Beach ended the year with 5.1 million containers, its lowest total since 2003 and a 22 percent decline from the 6.5 million it handled in 2008.

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