Container Import and Export Volumes Down

According to the latest research which directly impacts truck shipments, ocean container exports dropped 9.9 percent in January, while imports fell 6.2 percent.

Cass Information Systems, which issued the findings, noted that “continued congestion caused by the ILWU contract-related slowdowns and work stoppages on the West Coast has caused ships to sit at sea unable to get a berth to unload imported goods.”

That also means that U.S. shippers have been unable to have their goods loaded for export. The ports are estimating that it will take three months to clear the congestion.

The decline in the import container index was the first drop from December to January since 2012. In contrast, the January fall comes right behind a near-record month in December 2014.

Consistent with the import number, the decline in export container shipments in January was 18.5 percent lower than the same period a year ago.

According to the economic team at Fleet News Daily, the rapidly strengthening U.S. dollar may also be impacting exports, as U.S. goods become increasingly more expensive from a currency perspective.

Category: Featured, General Update