We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Subscriptions
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Best Practices
      • Change Me
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • The Logistics of Defense
      • Logistics Problem Solving
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Public Sector Logistics
      • Two Sides of the Logistics Coin
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • MODEX 2020
    • Upload Your Video
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Subscriptions
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Best Practices
      • Change Me
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • The Logistics of Defense
      • Logistics Problem Solving
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Public Sector Logistics
      • Two Sides of the Logistics Coin
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • MODEX 2020
    • Upload Your Video
Home » U.S. sea imports to hit all-time record in August due to labor uncertainty, report says
newsworthy

U.S. sea imports to hit all-time record in August due to labor uncertainty, report says

August 12, 2014
DC Velocity Staff
No Comments

Import volume at major U.S. container ports is expected to hit an all-time record in August as retailers concerned about the lack of a West Coast longshoremen's contract rush to bring holiday season merchandise into the country, according to the monthly "Global Port Tracker" report released yesterday by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and consultancy Hackett Associates.

Import volume at U.S. ports covered by the Global Port Tracker report is expected to total 1.54 million containers this month, which is expected to be the peak for the year. That's the highest monthly volume since NRF began tracking import volume in 2000, topping a previous record of 1.53 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) set in July. (One TEU is one 20-foot cargo container or its equivalent.)

The contract between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) expired on July 1. Dockworkers have stayed on the job as both sides continue to negotiate in the hopes of reaching a new agreement. Both have reported that talks have been "productive."

U.S. ports monitored by the report handled 1.48 million TEUs in June, the latest month for which actual numbers are available. That was down 0.38 percent from May but up 9.1 percent from June 2013.

July was estimated at 1.53 million TEUs, up 5.8 percent from the same month last year. September is projected at 1.48 million TEUs, up 2.8 percent from last year. October is also projected at 1.48 million TEUs, up 3.3 percent from year-earlier levels.

Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said the volume surges reflect an improving U.S. economy and decisions by retailers to expedite their import flows due to uncertainty surrounding the contract negotiations.

"U.S. [gross domestic product] has increased in 11 out of the last 12 quarters, confirming that we are in a sustained period of expansion," Hackett said. He added, however, that "a significant portion" of the import gains have come from importers moving up their orders and deliveries to safeguard their supply chains against potential labor-related disruptions.

Global Port Tracker covers the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach; Oakland, Calif.; Seattle; Tacoma, Wash.; New York/New Jersey; Hampton Roads, Va.; Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Port Everglades, Fla.; Miami; and Houston.

Transportation Maritime & Ocean
KEYWORDS Hackett Associates National Retail Federation
  • Related Articles

    Sea container imports to level off in November after months of record volumes, report says

    Sea container imports break another record as holiday season nears, report says

    Sea container imports expected to grow 4.9 percent in first half of 2018, NRF-Hackett report says

  • Related Events

    LINk2021: The Retail Supply Chain Conference

Recent Articles by DC Velocity Staff

Logistics gives back: April 2021

Watch that digital reef

Pandemic is just one threat to safety

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • A look into the future of robotics

  • A primer on warehouse robots

  • Roadrunner Freight bolsters LTL capabilities with $50 million in new backing

  • Southeastern Freight Lines Promotes Marty Cox to Service Center Manager in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Pull back or go deeper—how the pandemic influenced shipper-3PL engagement

Now Playing on DCV-TV

9cddf77b a6f2 40d3 b603 004e451106fb

Dealing with Rapidly Rising Freight Costs

DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
I don’t know if it’s because of our Two Minute Warnings, or the fact that shippers are experiencing the conditions we warned about in our Code Red webcasts, but lately, I’ve heard the same message from several C-Level and supply chain executives: Their companies are experiencing supply chain challenges and their...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Special Report: Supply Chain Trends in Retail & Consumer Goods

  • Fortify Your Operational Resilience

  • Cold Storage Automation: Leveraging Advanced Technologies to Meet Increasing Demand

  • The modern warehouse: Maximizing productivity and capacity

View More

Subscribe to DC Velocity Magazine

GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2021. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing