IMPORT cargo volume through US container ports is expected to rise nine per cent in April year on year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

"The economy is recovering and retailers are expecting continued increases in sales through the summer and beyond," said retail federation vice president Jonathan Gold. "There are challenges from rising prices for gasoline and other essentials, but inventories are under control and retailers are optimistic."

US ports followed by Global Port Tracker handled 1.1 million TEU in February, traditionally the slowest month of the year and the latest for which actual numbers are available. That was down eight per cent from January but up 10 per cent from February 2010. It was the 15th month in a row to show a year-on-year improvement after December 2009 broke a 28-month streak of year-on-year declines.

March was estimated at 1.2 million TEU, an increase of 11 per cent over March 2010. April is forecast at 1.24 million TEU, up nine per cent from a year ago; May at 1.32 million TEU, up four per cent; June at 1.38 million TEU, up five per cent; July at 1.45 million TEU, up five per cent; and August at 1.54 million TEU, up eight per cent.

The first half of 2011 is forecast at 7.4 million TEU, up eight per cent from the first half of 2010. For the full year, 2010 totalled 14.7 million TEU, a 16 per cent increase over 2009. Last year's percentages were high because 2009's 12.7 million TEU was the lowest level seen since 2003.

"The economy is slowly on the mend with many of the key short-term indicators providing positive directions," Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said. "Consumers are buoyed by falling unemployment and are somewhat freer with their money."

The survey covers the ports of Long Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the west coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the east coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast.