News
Imports at U.S. major retail container ports grew 7 percent during 2017 over 2016 as retail sales continued to increase and the industry wrapped up the year with a strong holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
Ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.74 million TEUs in November, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. With most holiday merchandise already in the country by that point, the number was down 1.7 percent from October but up 5.8 percent year-over-year.
December was estimated at 1.6 million TEUs, up 2.6 percent year-over-year. The total for 2017 is expected to come to 20.1 million TEUs, topping last year's previous record of 18.8 million TEUs by 7 percent. That would be more than double 2016's 3.1 percent increase over 2015. The year set an all-time monthly record of 1.8 million TEUs in August, and included five of only seven months on record when imports have hit 1.7 million TEUs or higher.
January is forecast at 1.68 million TEUs, up 0.2 percent from January 2017; February at 1.62 million TEUs, up 12.6 percent from last year; March at 1.5 million TEUs, down 2.3 percent; April at 1.66 million TEUs, up 3.3 percent, and May at 1.73 million TEUs, up 0.4 percent. The February and March percentages are skewed because of changes in when Asian factories close for Lunar New Year each year.
