News
U.S. container imports from Japan amounted to 42,111 TEUs in September (based on volumes at ports of origin), down 8.3% year on year, Descartes Datamyne announced yesterday. From the previous month, they plunged 22.6%, indicating that the tariffs imposed by Washington are having a growing impact. It was the first time since December 2021 that they had exceeded the 42,000-TEU line. In the first nine months from January, they added up to 475,229 TEUs, down 1.7% from a year earlier.
Last month, direct shipments accounted for 25,933 TEUs, down 11.5%, while the remaining 16,178 TEUs were transshipped on the way, down 2.6%, which accounted for 38.4% of the total.
Looking at volumes at port of origin in Japan, 9,967 TEUs were from Tokyo in September, down 12.9%; 7,890 TEUs from Nagoya, down 9%; 4,719 TEUs from Kobe, down 20.3%; 2,452 TEUs from Yokohama, down 6.9%; and 351 TEUs from Osaka, up 19%. Throughput grew at the Port of Yokohama because of an increase in direct shipments that resulted from the resumption of U.S. East coast services that had been suspended in anticipation of a decrease in container movement due to the U.S. tariffs.
By commodity, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS Code 84) plummeted came to 9,774 TEUs last month, down 24.5%, but managed to hold the largest share. Ranked second were vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof (HS Code 87), which shrank 7.4% to 8,986 TEUs. They were followed by rubber and articles thereof (HS Code 40), which declined 4.4% to 4,456 TEUs. Coming in fourth, plastics and articles thereof (HS Code 39) waned 8.6% to 4,237 TEUs.
In January-September, auto-related products slid 8.6%, impacted by the U.S. tariffs. In contrast, electric commodities grew 5.1% and tires and other rubber products, 2.8%.
