THE leading ten US east coast ports achieved combined throughput growth of 2.5 per cent to 16.17 million TEU in the first 11 months of 2019, down from 5.1 per cent growth over the same period a year earlier.
Slowing global economic growth and the US-China trade war weighed down on containerised cargo traffic, pulling growth at US east coast ports down to its lowest level in three years, reported IHS Media.
Even so, east coast ports - particularly the Port of Savannah - performed better than their west coast counterparts, which saw total volumes tumble 9.4 per cent to 15.12 million TEU after growing 3.8 per cent in 2018.
Year-to-date import growth at the top 10 US east coast ports slowed to 4.5 per cent from 7.2 per cent, while exports were down 0.6 per cent after climbing two per cent higher in the first 11 months of 2018.
Six of the top 10 ports on the US east coast reported lower growth rates during the period, with two of them registering year-on-year decreases. The Port of Jacksonville and Port Everglades in Florida saw their container volumes fall 6.2 per cent to 763,762 TEU and 12.1 per cent to 664,178 TEU, respectively.
As a result, Jacksonville's volume was surpassed by that of port Miami, which edged into fifth place on the list thanks to a 5.7 per cent increase, and port Everglades was overtaken by the port of Baltimore, which grabbed the number seven spot thanks to a 3.4 per cent uptick.
Import growth rates likewise slowed at six of the top 10 ports, but the only negative growth came at Port Everglades, which saw inbound volume dive 16.2 per cent to 288,939 TEU after registering a 2.5 per cent increase during the first 11 months of 2018.
On the export side, volumes fell at six of the top 10 ports, with the largest declines recorded at Jacksonville, which saw outbound loads plummet 10.7 per cent to 439,926 TEU after increasing 9.4 per cent the year before; while throughput at Port Everglades was down 8.7 per cent to 375,238 TEU following a 3.9 per cent increase in 2018.
The Port of New York and New Jersey, which once again ranked as the busiest container gateway on the east coast by a wide margin, saw container volume rise 2.6 per cent to just under 4.8 million TEU in the first 11 months of last year, a considerable slowdown from the 6.5 per cent growth seen in 2018.
Among the top 10, the fastest growing US east coast ports in total volume were number two Savannah which saw container throughput jump 6.5 per cent to 3.3 million TEU, a deceleration of 1.8 percentage points from the previous year; number five Miami, up 5.7 per cent to 808,367 TEU; and number four Charleston, up 9.8 per cent to 810,619 TEU.
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Slowing global economic growth and the US-China trade war weighed down on containerised cargo traffic, pulling growth at US east coast ports down to its lowest level in three years, reported IHS Media.
Even so, east coast ports - particularly the Port of Savannah - performed better than their west coast counterparts, which saw total volumes tumble 9.4 per cent to 15.12 million TEU after growing 3.8 per cent in 2018.
Year-to-date import growth at the top 10 US east coast ports slowed to 4.5 per cent from 7.2 per cent, while exports were down 0.6 per cent after climbing two per cent higher in the first 11 months of 2018.
Six of the top 10 ports on the US east coast reported lower growth rates during the period, with two of them registering year-on-year decreases. The Port of Jacksonville and Port Everglades in Florida saw their container volumes fall 6.2 per cent to 763,762 TEU and 12.1 per cent to 664,178 TEU, respectively.
As a result, Jacksonville's volume was surpassed by that of port Miami, which edged into fifth place on the list thanks to a 5.7 per cent increase, and port Everglades was overtaken by the port of Baltimore, which grabbed the number seven spot thanks to a 3.4 per cent uptick.
Import growth rates likewise slowed at six of the top 10 ports, but the only negative growth came at Port Everglades, which saw inbound volume dive 16.2 per cent to 288,939 TEU after registering a 2.5 per cent increase during the first 11 months of 2018.
On the export side, volumes fell at six of the top 10 ports, with the largest declines recorded at Jacksonville, which saw outbound loads plummet 10.7 per cent to 439,926 TEU after increasing 9.4 per cent the year before; while throughput at Port Everglades was down 8.7 per cent to 375,238 TEU following a 3.9 per cent increase in 2018.
The Port of New York and New Jersey, which once again ranked as the busiest container gateway on the east coast by a wide margin, saw container volume rise 2.6 per cent to just under 4.8 million TEU in the first 11 months of last year, a considerable slowdown from the 6.5 per cent growth seen in 2018.
Among the top 10, the fastest growing US east coast ports in total volume were number two Savannah which saw container throughput jump 6.5 per cent to 3.3 million TEU, a deceleration of 1.8 percentage points from the previous year; number five Miami, up 5.7 per cent to 808,367 TEU; and number four Charleston, up 9.8 per cent to 810,619 TEU.
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