News
Containers to the U.S. from 10 countries and regions in Asia decreased 5.5% to 1,235,684 TEUs in February, incurring the first year-on-year contraction in 24 months, due to escalations in the trade war between America and China. It was unveiled on March 6 by U.S. research company Descartes Datamyne, which had kept statistics on container movement on the route (based on those loaded into mother vessels at ports of origin).
Inbound containers from the U.S. to Asia were also sluggish in January, falling 4.1% to 411,748 TEUs, resulting from notable declines in waste paper and wood imports to China. Containers to South Korea and Japan, in contrast, both improved.
Looking at containers exported from Asia in February by country/region of origin, the Descartes Datamyne statistics, compiled with Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and bill of lading (B/L) data provided by the U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP), indicated that those from China plunged 12.9% to 729,599 TEUs, posting the first year-on-year decline in six months, but managed to enjoy the largest share of the pie. China was followed by South Korea, from which 131,728 TEUs were exported, up 8.8%, marking a year-on-year rise for the 12th month in a row. Finishing in third place, shipments from Vietnam jumped 17.3% to 75,625 TEUs. Ranked fourth were those from Hong Kong, which soared 16.8% to 71,462 TEUs. On the other hand, containers from Taiwan diminished 13.9% to 54,246 TEUs, coming in fifth place. Exports from Japan sank 3.7% to 43,291 TEUs, ranking seventh, but including transshipment (T/S) containers, total throughput remained nearly unchanged from a year earlier, hiking a minute 0.2% to 53,423 TEUs.
