News
Outbound containers from Japan to the U.S. plunged 38.6% from a year earlier to 33,477 TEUs in May, according to statistics compiled by American research company Descartes Datamyne. From a month earlier, they shrank 39.3%. Direct shipments from Japan amounted to 21,710 TEUs, down 44.8%, while transshipment (T/S) containers accepted in Japan accounted for the balance of 11,767 TEUs, down 54.4%, of which 7,158 TEUs were transshipped in South Korea, down 32.1%. It is estimated that a decrease of 70% year on year in vehicles, a major commodity handled on the route, lead to the notable contraction in direct exports from Japan.
Looking at direct shipments from Japan by port, Tokyo was responsible for 7,088 TEUs, down 33.9%, but managed to hold the largest share of the pie. Ranked second was Nagoya, from which 5,332 TEUs were exported, down 53.4%. Kobe came in third place, processing 3,471 TEUs, down 36.2%.
Inbound containers from the U.S. to Asia, meanwhile, fell 3% year on year to 124,443 TEUs in April, of which 58,704 TEUs were bound for Japan, down 20.6%, including 56,960 TEUs of direct imports, down 0.2%. By destination, 23,529 TEUs were moved to Tokyo, up 5.8%, helping the port come to the top. Kobe, the second largest destination, received 13,544 TEUs, up 8.6%, while containers destined to Yokohama surged 17.9% to 8,814 TEUs, finishing in third place. Those to Osaka were ever more massive, soaring 47.5% to 1,277 TEUs and coming in fourth. In contrast, imports to Nagoya, which ranked fourth, plummeted 33.1% to 4,743 TEUs.
