Global Port tracker is predicting a 16% year-to-year rise in shipping container imports to the 10 busiest ports in the US. This comes after a 20% and 22% increase in year over year growth seen in May and June respectivly. Positive growth has been seen in each month since December 2009, which marked the end of a 28-month streak of declines.
However, this positive trend isn’t expected to continue through fall. “The latest economic indicators are starting to look bleak, including consumer confidence, industrial production and employment numbers,” said Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, which produces the Global Port Tracker. “Sales will be slower in July and August; that much is certain. Inventories will rise, resulting in some sharp seasonal volume reductions.”
This table shows the Container Imports to the 10 busiest ports in the US for May 2010 and predictions for July through November. October, which is usually a high-volume month of the year as retailers stock up for the upcoming holidays, is only predicted to show a 3% increase from 2009 and November only a 4% increase.
| Month | Container Imports (TEUs) |
% YOY Increase |
| May-10 | 1.25 Million | 20% |
| Jun-10 | 1.24 Million | 22% |
| Jul-10 | 1.29 Million | 16% |
| Aug-10 | 1.26 Million | 9% |
| Sep-10 | 1.29 Million | 13% |
| Oct-10 | 1.24 Million | 4% |
| Nov-10 | 1.13 Million | 3% |
Global Port Tracker data covers the ports of Long Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
