News
Container exports from Asia to Europe amounted to 1,329,594 TEUs in May, exceeding the 1.3-million-TEU line for the first time since the beginning of the year, according to a report complied by the Japan Maritime Center from statistical data provided by Container Trades Statistics Ltd. (CTS) of the U.K. On a year-on-year scale, however, the total was down 3.4%, as container movement on the trade was highly brisk in May 2014. In the first five months (January-May), the total decreased 3.3% to 6,041,951 TEUs, showing they were not as massive as in the corresponding period of 2014.
In contrast, exports from Japan improved 6.2% to 48,972 TEUs in May, enjoying a year-on-year increase for the first time in four months at a time when those from other major Asia economies decreased across the board. They were steady in the first five months as well, growing 1.4% to 239,079 TEUs.
Meanwhile, the JMC report suggested that imports from Europe to Asia increased 3% to 621,787 TEUs in May, registering growth from a year earlier for the first time in three months. From January to May, they shrank 1.8% to 2,868,478 TEUs.
Containers to Japan plunged 12.1% to 55,766 TEUs, suffering a year-on-year decline for the fifth consecutive month. In the first five months, they went down 16.4% to 270,025 TEUs.
