EUROPEAN container volumes strengthened last year with January to November imports up 15.4 per cent over 2009, while exports rose 10.3 per cent.

Container Trade Statistics (CTS) data showed that exports from Europe to Asia increased 3.6 per cent to 463,600 TEU in November, up from 447,600 TEU in October, reported London's International Freighting Weekly. European imports from Asia in November totalled 1.1 million TEU, up one per cent on October.

But exports from north Europe to Asia declined in November for a third month, and were 12.5 per cent down on August's peak for 2010, said the report, adding that rates on the trade continued to soften in November, for a fourth month.