News
Volume of containerized shipments moving eastbound from Asia to the U.S. decreased 3.7% from a year earlier to 1.177 million TEUs in August 2012, according to a report released by the Japan Maritime Center （JMC） on Oct. 22.
As containers from China, which normally account for 60% of the pie, were sluggish, the trade suffered the first year-on-year decline in six months, even failing to have throughput reach the 1.2-million-TEU line.
It is believed that container throughput on the outbound route peaked in July, when it totaled 1.217 million TEUs.
The JMC, which compiled the report from statistical data provided by the Port Import/Export Reporting Service （PIERS） of the U.S., added that in the first eight months （January-August）, exports from Asia?Japan and 17 other economies in the region?to the U.S. improved 1.9% year on year to 8.891 million TEUs.
In July, westbound containers from the U.S. to Asia remained nearly unchanged from the corresponding month of 2011, rising a minute 0.8% to 537,000 TEUs, which was a year-on-year increase achieved for three months in a row.
They totaled 3,972 million TEUs in the first seven months （January-July）, growing 2.5%.
In August, containers from Japan went up 3.5% to 59,000 TEUs, enjoying a year-on-year increase for the fifth consecutive month.
On the other hand, those from China waned 4.7% to 756,000 TEUs, suffering a decline for the first time in six months.
Shipments from Hong Kong diminished for five straight months, plunging 18.8% to 43,000 TEUs.
When combined, those from China and Hong Kong shrank 5.6% to 799,000 TEUs, which was the first decrease in six months.
Containers from South Korea picked up 7.2% to 60,000 TEUs, accomplishing an improvement for the fourth consecutive month.
In contrast, those from Southeast Asia waned 2.1% to 152,000 TEUs, going down for the first time in eight months.
Containers from South Asia rose 3.5% to 62,000 TEU, remaining on an upward trend for four months.
