News
U.S. retail imports remain strong after setting new records this fall as retailers stocked up both stores and warehouses for the holiday season and met new demands for quick delivery of online orders, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report.
U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.21 million TEUs in October, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was up 17.6 percent year-over-year and up 5.2 percent from 2.11 million TEUs in September, the previous record for a single month since NRF began tracking imports in 2002.
September, in turn, had edged out 2.1 million TEUs in August, which had broken the previous record of 2.04 million TEUs set in October 2018.
October's number brought the total for the peak season - the period from July through October when retailers rush to bring in merchandise for the winter holidays each year - to 8.3 million TEUs. That was an increase of 8.8 percent over the same time last year and beat the previous record of 7.7 million TEUs set in 2018.
Even with most holiday merchandise already in the country, November imports remained strong at an estimated 2.07 million TEUs, a 22.4 percent jump year-over-year and the fourth-busiest month on record. December is forecast at 1.91 million TEUs, up 11 percent from last year.
