News
In April 2012, 18 Asian economies exported a total of 1.051 million TEUs of containerized shipments to the U.S., decreasing 2.1% from a year earlier, according to the Japan Maritime Center （JMC）.
The JMC, which compiles a report on the container trade between Asia and the U.S. every month from statistical data provided by the Port Import/Export Reporting Service （PIERS） of America, added that exports from Japan soared 17.7% to 57,000 TEUs, achieving a year-on-year increase for seven straight months. Contributing factors included auto parts and components, which enjoyed a double-digit increase for seven months in a row, surging 33.8%, and vehicles, equipment, parts and components, 24 months in a row, jumping 23.4%. On the other hand, tires and tubes as well as televisions and other audio and visual equipment, both of which are major groups of commodities that Japan exports to the U.S., were stagnant, going down 15.5% and 13.1%, respectively.
Shipments from China made a negative turn in April, falling 3.5% from the corresponding month of the previous year to total 673,000 TEUs, which held a share of 64% of the pie, said the JMC report for the month in question. The sluggishness was made by declines in furniture and other household goods, which went down 3.3%; textile and textile products, 3% and electrical machinery for general use, 4.8%, all of which are popular items that the U.S. buys from China. Those from Hong Kong waned 11.3% to 34,000 TEUs, which accounted for 3.2%. The combined volume of containerized shipments from China and Hong Kong shrank 3.9% to 707,000 TEUs, holding a combined share of 67.2%.
Outbound containers from South Korea to the U.S. were also weak in April, contracting 5.9% from a year earlier to 57,000 TEUs, according to the JMC. Electrical machinery for general use decreased so steeply that an improvement in auto parts and components, an important commodity that South Korea exports to the U.S., was completely offset.
The report indicated that shipments from Taiwan were favorable in April, going up 7.1% from a year earlier to 47,000 TEUs. Accomplishing a year-on-year rise for nine straight months, they held a share of 4.5%. Taiwan’s favorableness was led by briskness in exports of auto parts and components as well as furniture.
