News
Containerized exports from Asia to the U.S. increased 7.4% year on year to 1,353,176 TEUs in September, hitting a new record for the month in question, according to a report released by the Japan Maritime Center (JMC). It was the first time since 2007 that they had continued exceed the 1.3-million-TEU mark for two back-to-back months.
In the first nine months (January-September), containers from Asia to the U.S. grew 5.7% to 10,948,962 TEUs, breaking the record made in the corresponding period of 2007. They made a new record for the third quarter (July-September) as well.
In September alone, containers from China reached 900,000 TEUs for the first time, while those from Vietnam made a new September record.
Looking at eastbound shipments moved from Asia to the U.S. in September more specifically by origin, those from China went up 6.4% to 909,291 TEUs, holding a share of 67.2%. Finishing in second place, those from Vietnam surged 19.4% to a record high of 67,268 TEUs for the month under review. On the other hand, containers from South Korea fell 2% to 63,664 TEUs. They suffered the first year-on-year decrease in five months, but managed to rank third. Those from Japan came in fourth place, which improved 4.5% to 53,377 TEUs, rising from a year earlier for the eighth consecutive month. Containers from Taiwan soared 19.9% to 53,198 TEUs, enjoying a double-digit rise for four straight months and helping the economy become the fifth greatest source of products purchased by the U.S. Exports from Hong Kong were not brisk, waning 1.8% to 38,151 TEU and incurring a year-on-year decrease for six months in a row. Those from Southeast Asia swelled 15.5% to 171,777 TEUs. Containers from India, which lead those from Southern Asia, ballooned 18.2 % to 47,168 TEUs.
Meanwhile, the JMC report, which had been compiled from statistical data provided by the Port Import/Export Reporting Service (PIERS) of the U.S., added that imports of containerized shipments from the U.S. to Asia plunged 13.4% from a year earlier to 517,804 TEUs in August. They declined 1.2% to 4,485,417 TEUs in the first eight months (January-August).
