News
Import cargo volume at the U.S.'s major retail container ports is expected to be up 13 percent in March compared with the same month a year ago, and double-digit increases are expected to continue through the summer as the U.S. economy begins in improve, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report.
U.S. ports handled 1.08 million TEUs in January, the latest month for which actual numbers are available. That was down just under 1 percent from December as imports wound down after the holiday season, but up 2 percent from January 2009. It was also the second month in a row to show a year-over-year improvement after December broke a 28-month streak of year-over-year monthly declines.
February was estimated at 1.08 million TEUs, the same as January but a 29 percent increase over unusually low numbers in February 2009, and March is forecast at 1.09 million TEUs, up 13 percent from the previous year. April is forecast at 1.17 million TEUs, up 19 percent as retailers begin to stock up for spring and summer, May at 1.21 million TEUs, up 17 percent, June at 1.26 million TEUs, up 25 percent, and July at 1.33 million TEUs, up 20 percent.
The first half of 2010 is expected to total 6.9 million TEUs, up 17 percent from last year's 5.9 million TEUs. Imports for 2009 totaled 12.7 million TEUs, down 17 percent from 2008’s 15.2 million TEUs and the lowest since the 12.5 million TEUs reported in 2003.
