News
Japan’s container exports to the U.S. amounted to 48,645 TEUs in December (based on volumes at ports of origin), down 16% year on year, according to Descartes Datamyne. From the previous month, they shrank 3.9%.
Direct shipments from Japan to the U.S. remained nearly unchanged at 33,478 TEUs, up 0.5%, but those transshipped on the way plunged 38.4% to 15,167 TEUs, which accounted for 31.2% of the total, a year-on-year decrease of more than 10 percentage points from 42.5%. Those transshipped in South Korea were down 42.3% to 3,343 TEUs; in China, down 26.1% to 2,322 TEUs; and in Taiwan, down 41.6% to 1,715 TEUs.
As for direct exports, 14,461 TEUs were from Tokyo, down 5.2%; 9,595 TEUs from Nagoya, up 1.3%; 6,456 TEUs from Kobe, down 16.4%; 1,998 TEUs from Yokohama, up 459.7%; and 409 TEUs from Shimizu, up 46.1%.
In 2023, Japan exported 607,671 TEUs to the U.S. (based on volumes at ports of origin), down 5.6% from the previous year.
The total was made up of 389,837 TEUs of direct shipments, up 2.6%, and 217,834 TEUs of transshipment containers, down 17.5%, which accounted for 35.8%. Of the latter, South Korea was responsible for 142,266 TEUs, down 14.9%; China, 30,058 TEUs, down 18.9%; and Taiwan, 28,579 TEUs, up 2.5%.
By port of origin, Tokyo exported 167,372 TEUs, up 3.2%; Nagoya, 110,083 TEUs, down 0.4%; Kobe, 82,084 TEUs, down 7.4%; Yokohama, 23,533 TEUs, up 120.4%; and Shimizu, 4,884 TEUs, up 1.7%.
