News
Outbound container trade from 18 Asian economies to the U.S. diminished 17.9% to 1,543,889 TEUs in April, a year-on-year contraction for eight consecutive months, according to the Japan Maritime Center (JMC).
Many major commodities plunged last month, with vegetables, grains, fruits, oilseed, tea leaves and others, down 62.9% to 22,513 TEUs; toys and sporting goods, down 32% to 61,554 TEUs; furniture, bedclothing and others going down 30% to 260,070 TEUs; and textiles and textile products, down 28.7% to 121,822 TEUs.
The JMC, which refers to date from the Journal of Commerce (JOC)’s Port Import/Export Reporting Service (PIERS), said that there were notable declines in consumer goods as many were still in stock in the U.S. The center also indicated that it is necessary to keep an eye on how tighter draft restrictions in the Panama Canal will influence freight rates and movement.
In January-April, exports from Asia to the U.S. amounted to 5,540,313 TEUs, which shrank 25.2% from the corresponding months of last year.
