Port Tracker: U.S. imports to regain year-over-year growth by Halloween

Major U.S. ports will in October see the first year-to-year rise in container imports since July 2007, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released Friday by the National Retail Federation and Global Insight.

For April, the latest month for which numbers are available, inbound box volume at the U.S. ports surveyed by Port Tracker -- Los Angeles-Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York-New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah and Houston -- dropped 4.7 percent year-on-year to 1.26 million TEUs. May was estimated at 1.3 million TEUs, down 5.7 percent from the same month in 2007.

   Further monthly forecasts are:

   June, 1.34 million TEUs, down 8.1 percent.

   July, 1.4 million TEUs, down 2.8 percent.

   August, 1.46 million TEUs, down 0.3 percent.

   September, 1.43 million TEUs, down 3.1 percent.

   October, 1.48 million TEU, up 2.7 percent.

   The numbers are still below last year but they are steadily climbing, said Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the NRF. That's in line with forecasts that the economy could begin its slow recovery this fall and reflects retailers sales expectations for the holiday season. Global Insight Economist Paul Bingham said all ports covered are free from congestion from the harbor to the gate.

   One piece of good news is that progress has been reported in the West Coast longshore labor union contract negotiations, he said.

   We hope this is a positive sign that a new contract will be reached without a significant work stoppage. Other than this contract, we don't see any significant labor issues threatening the ports, and expect port and transportation labor to continue to be adequate over the next six months.  

Source: American Shipper