container imports

How replaceable is China?

Chart of the Week: Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index China, Vietnam, India, and Thailand to USA SONAR: IOTI.CHNUSA, IOTI.VNMUSA, IOTI.INAUSA, IOTI.THAUSA

The Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index (IOTI) — an index tracking bookings of twenty-foot container equivalents on a 14-day moving average — showed a 22%–25% annual decline in volume out of China last week. Meanwhile, countries like Vietnam, Thailand and India experienced increases of similar magnitude. But is this shift a sustainable strategy, and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-replaceable-is-china

All eyes on Los Angeles with tariff impact looming

Chart of the Week: Outbound Loaded Rail Container Volume International and domestic – Los Angeles, Outbound Tender Volume Index – Los Angeles, Ontario SONAR: ORAILINTL.LAX, ORAILDOML.LAX, OTVI.LAX, OTVI.ONT

Intermodal demand out of the Los Angeles market continues to show strong annual growth, gaining share from the struggling truckload sector. As the primary U.S. gateway for goods arriving from Asia, Los Angeles is expected to be the first region where the effects of new tariffs will become...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/all-eyes-on-los-angeles-with-tariff-impact-looming

Surface transportation demand starting to soften

Chart of the Week: Outbound Loaded Rail Container Volume, Outbound Tender Volume Index – USA SONAR: ORAILL.USA, OTVI.USA

Requests for truckload capacity (OTVI) have averaged nearly 9% lower year over year (y/y) since mid-February, while intermodal volumes (ORAILL) have remained relatively steady, growing at a 5% rate since the start of the year. This places total transportation demand in a state of decline, regardless of seasonal influences. Should this be considered a concerning signal from an...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/surface-transportation-demand-starting-to-soften

Unexpectedly strong import wave keeps rolling through peak season

Chart of the Week: US Customs Maritime TEUs, Import Ocean Bookings TEUs Index – USA SONAR: CSTEU.USA, IOTI.USA

Container volumes arriving from overseas at U.S. ports are averaging double-digit percentage growth since mid-July. Import bookings, which measure container volumes based on departure dates from the ports of origin, are signaling that growth will probably sustain through August. What are the takeaways from a strong maritime shipping peak season?

Economically speaking

One of the biggest...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/unexpectedly-strong-import-wave-keeps-rolling-through-peak-season

What nearshoring?

Chart of the Week: Inbound Ocean TEUs Index – USA  SONAR: IOTI.USA

Bookings for 20-foot equivalent container imports (IOTI) are up 27% versus mid-June of 2019 and 11% over last year. With all the talk and expectations of nearshoring, goods coming from overseas are still flowing strong and having a noticeable impact on domestic transportation patterns. 

The IOTI is a 14-day moving average index of orders (bookings) of 20-foot equivalent containers (TEU) based on the time of departure from the port...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/what-nearshoring

Is Mexico becoming the new China?

Chart of the Week: Import Ocean TEUs Index – China to Mexico, China to USA  SONAR: IOTI.CHNMEX, IOTI.CHNUSA

Import bookings have doubled from China to Mexico compared to the same period in 2019, with the bulk of the increase coming in the past year. By contrast, import bookings from China to the U.S. are up a still-impressive approximately 40%, but nothing like the Mexico figure. What does this mean for the U.S. freight market?

The Inbound Ocean TEUs Indices (IOTI) measure bookings of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-mexico-becoming-the-new-china

Red Sea cargo diversions could affect 2024 holiday shipping

The current spike in shipping costs caused by ocean carriers routing away from the conflict in the Middle East could seep into longer-term rates if the federal government waits too long to help mitigate potential backups at U.S. ports, according to retailers.

“While many are focusing on the current situation, more challenges will be created the longer these disruptions continue,” said Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, testifying...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/red-sea-cargo-diversions-could-affect-2024-holiday-shipping

DOT’s freight data exchange processing 65% of US container imports

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s pick to head the first high-level cabinet office dedicated exclusively to freight is setting a high bar for the value her office will bring to the nation’s freight markets.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Allison Camden (Photo: U.S. DOT)

Allison Dane Camden will lead the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy as the first deputy assistant secretary for the office. 

Camden brings to the office experience...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dots-freight-data-exchange-processing-65-of-us-container-imports

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