Bangkok Shipowners and Agent Association

A FEW bright patches are emerging as the industry gears up for the traditional shipping peak season, as some ports in the US have reported increases in imports for the month of March and are forecast to grow again in April.

Nevertheless, volumes are expected to remain depressed when compared with last year.

According to the latest Port Tracker, while a 6.5 per cent improvement in import container volumes to US ports is estimated this month over March, the import figures for April are anticipated to remain down by 22.2 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

However the ‘size of the gap’ is expected to contract over time by National Retail Foundation (NRF), vice president, Jonathan Gold...

Notably, overall US container trade declined by a whopping 30 per cent year on year in February after a 20 per cent year-on-year down slide in the previous month according to figures provided by the Port of Savannah.

While US imports declined 31 per cent, exports dipped 28 per cent for the same month, the port authority reported.

US import volumes declined as low as 818,342 TEU for the first time in the last seven years this February according to the Port Tracker.

However, some believe that the worst may be over after volumes fell to a dangerous low during the traditional trade lull at the beginning of the year.

According to Mr Gold, February figures indicate that import volumes may already have hit the ‘bottom for the year’. Hence volumes are only expected to climb up he said.

Source : Shipping Gazette 24/4/09