Cargo Trends: U.S. Waterborne Foreign Trade, Global Port Tracker

Export tonnage set yet another record, but America’s waterborne foreign trade overall declined in 2013 for the second year in in a row, according to data collected and reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Import volume at America’s major containerized retail cargo handling ports should increase 4.3 percent during half 2014 despite a drop in February, predicts the monthly Global Port Tracker report released February 11 by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

America’s waterborne foreign trade declined in 2013 for the second year in in a row, falling 2.7 percent to just under 1.26 billion metric tons, according to data collected and reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. That followed a 3.7 percent decline in 2012 and dropped trade tonnage well below levels attained in the peak years of 2008 and 2007.

Exports rose 1.8 percent to a record 583 million tons, thanks to a double-digit surge in the final quarter of the year. However, imports fell 6.3 percent to a 16-year low of 674 million tons, much of it the result of America’s declining demand for foreign petroleum.

The value of trade also declined by 2.0 percent to $1.75 trillion, reflecting a 1.0 percent increase for exports and a 3.5 percent drop for imports.

Asia remained America’s leading trading region, with cargo volume from January through December marginally lower at 334.4 million tons. The strongest growth came from trade with China.

Within the Western Hemisphere, tonnage gains from 2012 occurred in U.S. trade with Canada and the Caribbean, while declines prevailed in Central America, Mexico and South America. Double-digit increases were posted by U.S. exports to Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru.

Elsewhere, the data show gains for U.S. sea trade with the former Soviet Union (especially the Ukraine) and Australasia and declines in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Comparisons of the volume and value of U.S. sea trade by world region for the years 2012-2013 are presented in Tables I and II of the first attachment.

Twenty-five countries generated roughly 78 percent of both the volume and value of U.S. international waterborne trade in 2013. Five alone – China, Mexico, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil – accounted for 36 percent of total tonnage; 41 percent of the dollar total came from trade with China, Japan, Germany, Mexico and South Korea. Rankings of America's top 25 trading partners in 2013 based on volume (Table III) and value (Table IV) of cargo can be found in the second attachment.

Houston-Galveston was the top U.S. Customs district in 2013 based on import and total foreign seaborne cargo tonnage, while the New Orleans district led in export tonnage. Ranked by dollar value, the Los Angeles district stood first in imports and total trade. Houston/Galveston topped the export list. See the third attachment for the 2013 rankings by volume (table A) and value (table B) of seaborne cargo.

Global Port Tracker Predicts 4.3% First Half 2014 Retail Import Cargo Increase Despite Anticipated February Drop

Import volume at America’s major containerized retail cargo handling ports is expected to drop 8.4 percent in February from the same time last year as the shipping cycle reaches its slowest month of the year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released February 11 by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

Global Port Tracker’s conclusions are based on a survey and analysis of inbound container traffic flows at the ports of Charleston, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Oakland, Port Everglades, Savannah, Seattle and Tacoma.

"Ports and distribution centers are getting the break they deserve after the busy holiday season, but it won’t last long," said Jonathan Gold, the NRF’s vice president for supply chain and customs policy. "Retailers will be moving spring merchandise toward their shelves in just a few weeks, and early numbers point to a busy season ahead."

U.S. ports followed by Global Port Tracker handled 1.3 million TEUs in December, the latest month for which finalized numbers are available. That was down 3.3 percent from the preceding month but up 0.6 percent from December 2012. The December numbers brought 2013 to a total of 16.2 million TEUs, up 2.3 percent from 2012’s 15.8 million TEU.

January is estimated at 1.37 million TEUs, up 4.5 percent from January 2013. Subsequent month forecasts: February – 1.17 million TEUs (-8.4 percent); March – 1.29 million TEUs ( 13.7 percent); April – 1.39 million TEUs ( 6.9 percent); May – 1.45 million TEUs ( 4.2 percent); June – 1.43 million TEUs ( 5.6 percent). The forecasted first half 2013 total of 8.1 million TEUs would be up 4.3 percent over from January through June of last year.