US January boxed imports rise 13.4pc from December, up 5.8pc year on year

THE US import container volume - excluding empties - for January increased 13.4 per cent from December and 5.8 per cent year on year, according to Zepol, a research firm using data from bills of lading in the automated manifest system.

January`s vessel imports were up from December 2011 and higher than the same period of last year, said the Zepol report. January`s total number of inbound shipments also increased 12 per cent from December and 6.4 per cent from the same month of last year.


The January rise follows a two-year trend. "The rise in January 2012 imports is similar to 2011`s data which also saw a significant increase in January from December of 8.5 per cent," said the Zepol statement.


Total container volume from Asia in January grew 17 per cent in January from December, with China volumes rising 20 per cent while Japanese imports fell 11.7 per cent.


Container imports from Europe increased three per cent in January with Spain up 12 per cent and Turkey rising 34 per cent from December.


All top 10 ports experienced increased import in January. The top one port for January was Los Angeles, seeing a 12.5 per cent growth in TEU. The port of Savannah, GA also posted a significant increase of 26 per cent in January, and the port of Seattle recorded a rise of 19 per cent from December.


The report said the overall rise in shipments was seen in every top carrier for January. The world`s largest carrier Maersk Line witnessed a 17.5 per cent growth from December. And Singapore`s APL had a large increase from the previous month of 22 per cent, reversing its 13 per cent drop from November to December 2011.


Also, MSC saw a decline in November to December as well, but had a 13.5 per cent increase in January, which is the common trend for overall US imports from 2011 to 2012.