IANA

Intermodal volumes for the fourth quarter of 2015 were mostly in line with both volumes and trends that were intact through the first three quarters of the year, according to the Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics Report issued this week by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).

On a year-to-date basis, intermodal volume—at 12,614,472—is up 3.7 percent annually.

While intermodal transportation may not currently be seeing the traction on the domestic side, things are picking up in other areas, most notably on the international side, as well as the ongoing improvements in service levels, said Larry Gross, senior consultant at freight transportation consultancy FTR at this week's Intermodal Expo.

Even with a bit of a lull in overall growth in May, intermodal volumes remain in a decent place, according to data from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).

Heading into 2015, the intermodal sector was faced with the same challenges it had exiting 2014, namely the West Coast port labor disruption and harsh winter weather. But even with these obstacles volumes still managed to show overall growth on an annual basis, according to the most recent edition of the Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics Report from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).

Total 2014 intermodal volume—at 16,276,892 containers and trailers––saw a 4.8 percent annual increase compared to 2013. Domestic containers—at 6,444,532—were up 5.7 percent, and international containers—at 8,166,010—were up 4.4 percent. All domestic equipment at 8,110,882—was up 5.1 percent, and trailers rose 2.9 percent to 1,666,350.

While the official numbers won’t be issued until early February in its quarterly Market Trends & Statistics report, preliminary data for the fourth quarter and full-year 2014 intermodal output from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) indicates that annual growth was intact.

Shippers attending the Intermodal Association of North America's (IANA) annual Intermodal Expo in Long Beach this week were given some good news/bad news regarding truck and rail capacity for the remaining year.

This year, the Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) will be staging the “Connie” Awards dinner in conjunction with IANA’s Intermodal EXPO in Long Beach

Middlemen comprising the Transportation Intermediaries Association made money last quarter, say researchers.

United States Class I carloads were up 86,792 carloads–or 6.3 percent annually–at 1,471,811 in July, and intermodal volume was up 5.5 percent annually––or 67,524 units––at 1,286,160 containers and trailers for the highest July on the intermodal side ever recorded.

Total intermodal volume movements—at 4,173,329—were up 8.2 percent compared to the second quarter of 2014. IANA said this strong output stands as the highest quarterly intermodal growth rate since early 2011. And through the first two quarters of 2015, total intermodal volumes––at 7,950,783––were up 5.5 percent compared to the midpoint of 2014 and matching up with the 5.8 percent annual gain recorded during the second half of 2014.

Total intermodal volume movements—at 3,777,454—were up 2.6 percent compared to the first quarter of 2013. But unlike the previous six quarters, first quarter growth came with a twist: trailers’ growth rate at 7.5 percent and 413,064 trailers topped domestic containers, which grew 3.2 percent annually at 1,473,124.

Total 2013 intermodal volume—at 15,537,925—was up 4.6 percent compared to 2012. Domestic containers—at 6,094,770 million—was up 9.4 percent, and international containers—at 7,823,122 million—were up 1.2 percent. All domestic equipment at 7,714,803 million—was up 7.1 percent, and trailers fell 0.7 percent to 1,620,033 million.

Total intermodal container and trailer movements in the third quarter were up a cumulative 4.7 percent at 4,010,582. As has been the case for several quarters running, domestic containers showed the highest growth rate, increasing 9.4 percent annually to 1,557,084. This was ahead of the second quarter’s 9.0 percent annual increase and shy of the first quarter’s 10.2 percent gain.