Zepol completed the data for November on December 5th for our U.S. Customs trade data tool,
TradeIQ. Import shipments decreased in November by 1.74% to 716,426 shipments, the fewest import shipments seen since June 2009. Contrasting the starkness of that statement, imports are returning to 2008 levels with imports being down only 0.29%. Unfortunately, import levels are still nowhere close to pre-recession totals. Imports are down 12.75% when compared to November 2007.
Below is a table showing port regions of the world where shipments originated:
| Port Region |
Nov 2009
Shipments |
Percent Change
over Nov 2008 |
Percent Change
over Oct 2009 |
Percent Change
over Nov 2007 |
| Asia |
505,779 |
0.95% |
-5.46% |
-12.32% |
| Europe |
109,189 |
-11.00% |
6.99% |
-17.73% |
| Central America (includes Mexico) |
55,039 |
-1.31% |
-0.64% |
-2.94% |
| South America |
19,154 |
-0.61% |
-1.31% |
-15.85% |
| North America |
10,295 |
-3.06% |
2.12% |
0.27% |
| Other |
8,250 |
10.52% |
-0.95% |
-8.91% |
| Australia |
5,237 |
-16.66% |
-16.37% |
-35.20% |
| Africa |
3,483 |
-4.31% |
-3.41% |
-24.77% |
| Total |
716,426 |
-1.42% |
-3.20% |
-12.75% |
The below data illustrates more clearly a thread we have mentioned in earlier posts. Carriers have gravitated towards different ports as increased competition for customers has pushed carriers and ports alike to look for new revenue streams and to cut costs so they can lure new customers. This has drastically effected the growth of some ports. A stark example of the variations of success are the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. The Port of Seattle, WA has grown by 7.32% since 2007 while the port of Tacoma, WA has shrunk by 44.38%, despite being only 35 miles away from Seattle. This certainly is reflective of the fallout of the
Maresk move from Tacoma to Seattle, but Tacoma's numbers should improve when
NYK moves into the terminal left vacant by Maersk's move.
Below are the top 10 ports in the U.S. by shipment count:
| Port |
Nov 2009
Shipments |
Percent Change
over Nov 2008 |
Percent Change
over Oct 2009 |
Percent Change
over Nov 2007 |
| Los Angeles, CA |
148,486 |
-6.29% |
-6.16% |
-16.98% |
| Long Beach, CA |
122,099 |
5.54% |
9.46% |
-10.81% |
| Newark, NJ |
65,035 |
-1.81% |
-3.13% |
-11.05% |
| New York, NY |
61,698 |
3.37% |
-6.49% |
3.79% |
| Seattle, WA |
58,782 |
40.75% |
-2.82% |
7.32% |
| Savannah, GA |
31,755 |
-5.28% |
-18.96% |
-16.33% |
| Oakland, CA |
29,604 |
8.69% |
-8.14% |
-10.69% |
| Tacoma, WA |
26,030 |
-34.69% |
-13.25% |
-44.38% |
| Norfolk, VA |
24,917 |
-13.37% |
-15.67% |
-21.78% |
| Charleston, SC |
21,902 |
-22.39% % |
-16.03% |
-33.18% |
Zepol's U.S. Customs trade data is taken from Bills of Lading entered into the Automated Manifest System. The information represents the number of House manifests entered by importers of waterborne containerized goods. This indicator is the earliest data available for the previous month’s trade activity.