News
Japan’s container exports to the U.S. amounted to 45,912 TEUs in September (based on volumes at ports of origin), Descartes Datamyne announced yesterday. They plunged 24.4% from the corresponding month of 2023, the first year-on-year contraction they had incurred in six months, as auto-related products, machinery and other major commodities decreased across the board. It was the first time since December 2023 they had fallen below the 50,000-TEU line.
Direct shipments from Japan to the U.S. accounted for 29,290 TEUs, down 34.2%, the first year-on-year decrease in 14 months since August 2023. The remaining 16,622 TEUs were transshipped on the way, up 2.6%, which represented a transshipment (T/S) rate of 36.2%, rising by 9.5 percentage points, the first improvement in 13 months.
By commodity, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances as well as parts thereof (HS Code 84) plunged 26.1% to 10,935 TEUs; vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock and parts as well as accessories thereof (HS Code 87), 30.8% to 9,762 TEUs; plastics and articles thereof, 17.8% to 4,653 TEUs; rubber and articles thereof, 31.7% to 4,652 TEUs; and electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers and parts and accessories of such articles (HS Code 85), 27.8% to 2,756 TEUs.
Meanwhile, Japan’ imports from the U.S., which were reported on the same day, jumped 17.5% from a year earlier to 59,137 TEUs in August (based on volumes at ports of destination). They consisted of 48,479 TEUs of direct shipments, up 17.2%, and 10,658 TEUs of those transshipped in third countries, up 18.9%. Panama was responsible for 3,159 TEUs, a significant increase from 15 TEUs. In contrast, containers transshipped in South Korea plummeted 61.4% to 1,838 TEUs, while those transshipped in China more than grew eightfold, skyrocketing 717% to 1,634 TEUs.
