IMPORT volume at the nation's major container ports is expected to increase 2.7 per cent in April over the same month last year
Port Tracker: US Customs cuts minimal, April imports said to rise 2.7pc
MPORT volume at the nation's major container ports is expected to increase 2.7 per cent in April over the same month last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
"The impact of sequestration isn't yet fully known, but customs officials are working to manage their resources and keep cargo moving," said federation vice president Jonathan Gold.
"Between their efforts to avoid delays and retailers' adjustments to compensate, we're not expecting consumers to see any difference on store shelves at this point," he said.
US Customs told businesses last week that federal "sequestration" cuts that took effect in March could still have a "serious impact", including increased waiting times for inspections at ports. But officials said recent passage of the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations bill by Congress allows mitigation "to some degree" and layoffs and overtimes cuts have not occurred.
US ports followed by Global Port Tracker handled 1.29 million TEU in February, the latest month for which actual results exist. With February historically the slowest month of the year, the number was down 2.5 per cent from January but up 17.5 percent from February 2012.
March was estimated at 1.28 million TEU, up 2.6 per cent from a year ago. April is forecast at 1.35 million TEU, up 2.7 per cent from last year; May at 1.42 million TEU, up 3.2 per cent; June at 1.42 million TEU, up 1.8 per cent; July at 1.45 million TEU, up 1.5 per cent, and August at 1.44 million TEU, up 0.25 per cent from last year.
The first six months of 2013 are expected to total 8.1 million TEU, up 4.7 per cent from the first half of 2012. The total for 2012 was 15.9 million TEU, up 3.4 per cent from 2011.
"Economic indicators continue to present a mixed picture of the prospects for the remainder of the year," said Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett. "Sequestration does not help but on the other hand is not yet a major factor to take into account."
Global Port Tracker covers Long Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma New York, New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Houston.