News
The overall volume of containerized shipments traded worldwide grew 2.5% from a year earlier to 14,472,850 TEUs in December 2018, posting a year-on-year improvement for the 15th month in a row, according to statistics compiled by Container Trades Statistics Ltd. (CTS) of the U.K. The global freight rate index (2008 rates=100 points) was 69 points, falling by one point from November, but from December 2017, it went up by three from 66 points.
By region, imports to and exports from the Far East were both steady, going up 3.7% to 5,723,090 TEUs and up 4% to 8,273,161 TEUs, respectively. Europe imported 2,838,818 TEUs, up 4.8%, while its exports swelled 0.5% to 2,545,491 TEUs. Shipments from North America were brisk, increasing 3.5% to 2,408,271 TEUs, but its exports plunged 13.8% to 1,201,763 TEUs.
