A SLOW decline in imports during the first quarter through major US container ports is expected now that the Christmas season is over, says America's National Retail Association (NRF).
"This is the time of year when the retail supply chain catches its breath before the next big rush begins," said NRF vice president Jonathan Gold or releasing his Global Port Tracker report.
"Retailers are still tallying the bottom line of the holiday season, but they're also making plans for the spring and summer," he said.
Ports covered by Global Port Tracker, prepared monthly for the NRF monthly, handled 1.48 million TEU in November, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available.
With most holiday merchandise already in the country by that point, volume was down five per cent from October, but up six per cent from the year before.
December was estimated at 1.44 million TEU, the same as 2014. One TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.
The numbers are still subject to revision, but 2015 came to a preliminary total of 18.2 million TEU, up 5.4 per cent from 2014.
This month is forecast at 1.47 million TEU, up 18.9 per cent from weak volume seen a year ago just before agreement on a contract with west coast dockers ended months of congestion.
February is forecast at 1.41 million TEU, up 17.5 per cent, also skewed by the congestion.
March is forecast at 1.34 million TEU, down 22.4 per cent from high levels seen when a flood of backlogged cargo followed the contract agreement.
Patterns are expected to return to normal in April, which is forecast at 1.48 million TEU, down 1.8 per cent from last year.
May is forecast at 1.55 million TEU, down 3.5 per cent from last year.
Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said inventory levels remain high, partly because of warm weather that reduced demand for winter clothing.
"We continue to remain concerned about the high inventory-to-sales ratio," Mr Hackett said. "Enough time has passed since the disruption on the west coast that we can no longer look to that for justification of the high level."
Global Port Tracker covers the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Houston.
PORTS
10 January 2016 - 22:48
Global Port Tracker expects seasonal post-Christmas decline in US imports
A SLOW decline in imports during the first quarter through major US container ports is expected now that the Christmas season is over, says America's National Retail Association (NRF).
PORTS
10 January 2016 - 22:48
Global Port Tracker expects seasonal post-Christmas decline in US imports
This news 4421 hits received.
These news may also interest you