U.S. Ocean Container Exports Decline 18% in January; Import Container Volume Rises 5.1%

Reflecting a global economic slowdown, U.S. container export volumes sank 18% in January compared to the same time last year, according to the Cass Freight Index.

Container imports, on the other hand, increased 5.1% year over year. Ocean container activity – both imports and exports – increased month to month (exports at 2.9% and imports at 5.8%), but not at the magnitude of the increases experienced in December.

According to the analysts at Cass, the U.S. economy “had a fairly strong second half in 2013, but turned sharply downward in December. The slowdown has continued into January and February.”

Globally, a lull in economic growth over the last several months has slowed down U.S. exports, especially to its biggest trading partners. U.S. manufacturing has fallen for the second month in a row, according to Cass.

Category: General Update