Container import slowdown likely after surge

US ports covered by the survey handled 1.38m teu in July, the latest month for which finalised data is available. That was up 5% on the preceding month and 25% higher than July 2009. It was also the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year improvement. The August total is estimated at 1.35m teu, a 17% increase on August 2009.

For the ensuing months, Port Tracker predicts: September: 1.32m teu (+16%); October: 1.3m teu (+9%); November: 1.2m teu (+11%); December: 1.11m teu (+2%); and January 2011: 1.06m teu (-2%).

“Retailers have stocked up early on much of their [Thanksgiving] holiday merchandise in order to avoid some of the supply chain disruptions seen earlier in the year,” said Jonathan Gold, the NRF’s vice president for supply chain and customs.