American exports in February rose 9.6 per cent year on year, driven by strong gains in paper and paperboard, building materials and reefer, according to PIERS data.

Northeast Asia led US containerised exports, showing a 12 per cent gain to 459,713 TEU year on year and represented 45.3 per cent of total export volume. Shipments to north Europe increased 19 per cent to 135,384 TEU.

February's total of 1,014,176 TEU represented a four per cent increase from January volume.

Shipments of paper and paperboard, including paper waste, was the largest export up 18 per cent to 154,271 TEU. Animal feed came in second, up 12 per cent to 48,227 TEU.

Scrap metal increased 28 per cent to 13,139 TEU as poultry soared 62 per cent to 22,267 TEU and frozen fish shot up 157 per cent to 10,524 TEU and building materials skyrocketed nearly 300 per cent to 13,788 TEU.

But raw cotton and fabric exports fell 15 per cent to 37,692 TEU. Logs and lumber were off seven per cent to 27,425 TEU and synthetic resins dropped 21 per cent to 16,488 TEU.

Strong gains also were posted in exports to the Caribbean, up 49 per cent to 55,813 TEU, and the west coast of South America, where exports increased 16 per cent to 35,621 TEU, boosted by increased shipments of paper and paperboard, PVC resins and auto parts.

Exports to the Mediterranean fell 18 per cent to 40,841 TEU while southeast Asia volumes fell nine per cent to 73,973 TEU.