Cargo Statistics: NAFTA Region

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NAFTA Region Port Container Traffic 2013

Port container trade volumes within the geo-political region encompassed by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) reached a record high in 2013 of 54.6 million TEUs. It was a record year, too, for Mexico and Canada, while the United States enjoyed its best year since 2007. Click here for details.

The good news carries a caveat, however. The year-on-year increase of 1.7 percent was less than half that of the previous year and the lowest since the market collapse of 2009. Container traffic slowed in each NAFTA country, most precipitously so in Mexico – to 0.3 percent from the double-digit increments of the three previous years.

The data come from an AAPA survey and include 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. Among the percentage growth leaders were Portland (ME), Nanaimo, Canaveral, Everett, Anchorage, Saint John (NB) and Guaymas (Mexico). The year also marked the start-up of Stockton’s container-on-barge Marine Highway service.

In 2013, Los Angeles and Long Beach remained the leading container ports for the NAFTA region and indeed the entire Western Hemisphere. Others among the top five 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 five 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 98 percent of total 2013 U.S. container traffic measured in TEUs.

The second attachment presents 2013 container traffic profiles of 71 Canadian, Mexican and U.S. ports, with data as available on TEUs, boxes and metric tons of containerized cargo. The third attachment ranks the 50 top NAFTA-area ports based on 2013 TEU throughput and includes comparative 2012 volumes and standings.