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NAFTA Region Port Container Traffic 2012

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Port container trade volumes within the geo-political region encompassed by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) grew in 2012 for the fourth consecutive year, increasing 3.6 percent from 2011 to record high of nearly 53.6 million TEUs. It was a record year, too, for Mexican and Canadian container port traffic, while the United States enjoyed its best year since 2007. 

The data come from an AAPA survey and includes loaded containers inbound and outbound as well as empties handled in foreign and domestic trade at approximately 70 ports.

A majority of ports experienced year-on-year traffic gains, most impressively Hueneme (+139.6 percent), Mazatlan (+73.6 percent), Prince Rupert (+37.6 percent), Lázaro Cárdenas (19.8%), Prince Rupert (+30.3 percent) and Mobile (+29.3 percent). Additionally, Lázaro Cárdenas became the second Mexican port, after Manzanillo, to clear the one-million-TEU hurdle.

In 2012, Los Angeles and Long Beach remained the leading container ports for the NAFTA region and indeed the entire Western Hemisphere. Others among the Top 5 NAFTA ports were New York/New Jersey, Savannah and Port Metro Vancouver. Port Metro Vancouver, Montreal and Prince Rupert ranked first, second and third, respectively, among the ports of Canada, while Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas and Veracruz were the leaders in Mexico. The Top 5 U.S. ports - Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah and Oakland - accounted for 57 percent, the Top 10 for 78 percent, and the Top 25 for percent of total 2012 U.S. container traffic measured in TEUs.

The first attachment presents 2012 container traffic profiles of 70 Canadian, Mexican and U.S. ports, with data as available on TEUs, boxes and metric tons of containerized cargo. The second attachment ranks the 50 top NAFTA-area ports based on 2012 TEU throughput and includes comparative 2011 volumes and rankings. 

 

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