Japan International Freight Forwarders Association (JIFFA)

KOBC Container Composite Index jumps, Busan-US spot rates surge

The Korea Ocean Business Corporation (KOBC) announced that the latest KOBC Container Composite Index (KCCI) stood at 3,480 points, reflecting a 4.41% increase from the previous week.

According to the Japan International Freight Forwarders Association (JIFFA), the rise was driven primarily by higher spot rates for container exports from Busan, particularly on the US trade lanes.

On the main routes, the KCCI surged 13.44% to 5,429 points for the US West Coast and 9.13% to 6,467 points for the US...

https://container-news.com/kobc-container-composite-index-jumps-busan-us-spot-rates-surge/

Hydrogen refueling trial at Nagoya Port

The Nagoya Port Authority recently initiated the deployment of fuel-cell forklifts to encourage the broader adoption of fuel-cell-powered industrial vehicles at container terminals and other facilities.

According to the Japan International Freight Forwarders Association (JIFFA), these forklifts were provided to a container terminal operator and private businesses operating at the Port of Nagoya. The initiative also included operating hydrogen refuelling stations and exploring efficient methods...

https://container-news.com/hydrogen-refueling-trial-at-nagoya-port/

Japan-US container exports rise in October

Japan’s container exports to the United States reached 58,333 TEUs in October, marking a 7.1% year-on-year increase, according to Descartes Datamyne.

Monthly exports remained above 50,000 TEUs from January through August, dipped below this threshold in September, and rebounded in October. Direct shipments from Japan to the US surged by 19.7% to 43,375 TEUs, while transshipped containers declined by 17.9% to 14,958 TEUs, representing 25.6% of total exports.

Analyzing transshipment volumes in...

https://container-news.com/japan-us-container-exports-rise-in-october/

Japan’s container exports to U.S. surge to 56,174 TEUs in July

Container exports from Japan to the U.S. reached 56,174 TEUs in July, marking a 14.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

This represents the fourth consecutive month of double-digit growth, according to data from Descartes Datamyne.

Direct shipments accounted for 39,094 TEUs, a 32.8% rise, continuing a year-on-year increase for 12 consecutive months since August 2023. The remaining 17,080 TEUs were transshipped along the way, a decrease of 13.3%, making up 30.4% of the total—a 9.9...

https://container-news.com/japans-container-exports-to-u-s-surge-to-56174-teus-in-july/

Japan’s export and import Q2 indices show gradual improvement, still in negative territory

Japan’s exports and imports remained in negative territory in the second quarter of the year, but showed improvement compared to the previous quarter, according to a survey by NX Logistics Research Institute and Consulting.

The Tokyo-based think tank, affiliated with the Nippon Express (NX) group, anticipates similar trends for the third quarter, with continued negative figures but further improvement.

According to the Japan International Freight Forwarders Association Inc (JIFFA), the container...

https://container-news.com/japans-export-and-import-q2-indices-show-gradual-improvement-still-in-negative-territory/

South Korea sees container trade growth

In April, South Korea traded 364,900 TEUs of containers with eight other Asian economies, marking a 15% increase from 316,600 TEUs in the same month last year.

According to the Japan International Freight Forwarders Association Inc (JIFFA), this trade has shown year-on-year throughput growth for nine consecutive months since August 2023.

South Korea exported 176,400 TEUs, up 12%, and imported 188,500 TEUs, up 19%. Exports have been rising for eight straight months since September 2023, and...

https://container-news.com/south-korea-sees-container-trade-growth/

Asia to Europe container exports surge to 16.5 million TEUs in 2023

According to data compiled by the Japan Maritime Center (JMC) using information from Container Trades Statistics (CTS), container exports from Asia to Europe reached 16.58 million TEUs in 2023.

The Japan International Freight Forwarders Association (JIFFA) stated that this marked a 7.8% increase from the previous year and brought the figures back to pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019.

By origin, containers from China swelled 9.5% to 12.5 million TEUs, leading the overall outbound container...

https://container-news.com/asia-to-europe-container-exports-surge-to-16-5-million-teus-in-2023/

US box imports increase in January

In January, US container imports surged by 7.9% compared to December 2023, reaching a total of 2.27 million TEUs, as indicated in the latest Global Shipping Report by Descartes Systems Group.

According to JIFFA (Japan International Freight Forwarders Association), these figures also represent a notable increase of 9.9% from January 2023 and a solid 9.6% rise from the pre-pandemic levels of January 2029.

Among the top 10 ports, import volumes experienced a significant uptick of 149,906 TEUs,...

https://container-news.com/us-box-imports-increase-in-january/

DP World calls on MUA to return to bargaining table

DP World has urged the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU)’s Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) to return to the bargaining table following the latest announcement of additional industrial action stretching into November.

The discussions between the parties were set for 17-19 October but did not bring results, and as a result, the union declared an escalation of action.

According to DP World, as a result of protected industrial action, the time frame to offload a ship...

https://container-news.com/dp-world-calls-on-mua-to-return-to-bargaining-table/

 NCFI starts to rise in Week 40

Freight rates for container exports from the Chinese port of Ningbo-Zhoushan stopped falling in Week 40 due to a significant reduction in shipping capacity during the National Day Golden Week beginning on 1 October.

According to the Ningbo Shipping Exchange (NBSE), the composite Ningbo Containerized Freight Index (NCFI) was 593.8 points, up 0.8% from the previous week.

There were rises on 11 and declines on the other 10 of the 21 trade routes to which the individual NCFIs are applied. On routes...

https://container-news.com/ncfi-starts-to-rise-in-week-40/

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