Ocean Shipping

Shifts in inventory management by retailers appear to have made an impact on import cargo volumes at major United States-based container ports, according to the monthly Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

October volumes at the Port of Long Beach were down were down for the fourth straight month, according to data released by the port this week.

Spurred by strong export growth, October volumes at the Port of Los Angeles were solid on a year-over-year basis on the heels of an uneven September the month before.

As holiday shipping activity recedes into the background, import cargo volumes at major United States-based container ports is expected to decrease in November, according to the monthly Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

Growth prospects in Northern Europe remain stalled, according to the most recent edition of the Global Port Tracker Report from Hackett Associates and the Bremen Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics.

Even though a true 2011 Peak Season did not live up to once-promising expectations, import cargo volumes at major United States-based container ports are expected to see a 2.6 percent annual increase in October, according to the monthly Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

Total September volume at the Port of Los Angeles of 705,623 TEU was down -0.84 percent compared to September 2010.

Ocean cargo activity at the Port of New Orleans expanded earlier this month, with the announcements that CMA CGM and CSAV (Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores) have added New Orleans to the Gulf Bridge Express service, which links the Gulf Coast to the Caribbean and ports in Central and South America.

August volumes for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach were both down compared to the same timeframe in 2010.

As was the case last month, stalled economic growth and bearish economic indicators are pointing to slower growth, according to the most recent edition of the Global Port Tracker report from Hackett Associates and the Bremen Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics.

Compared to a booming July 2010, monthly volumes are decent.

As Logistics Management readers know, the first half of 2011 marked a changed attitude among ocean carrier executives who voiced positions of compromise and a new service-oriented attitude. But now we’re not sure if ocean shippers are really buying it. We’ve gathered a trio of prominent association executives and industry insiders to hear their opinions on how the new “era of collaboration” is progressing. Our panel also weighs in on the potential impact the Panama Canal expansion will have...

FedEx subsidiary FedEx Trade Networks, the company’s global trade arm, is taking steps to augment its ocean freight forwarding services in the form of a new Ocean Choices portfolio the company introduced today.

Compared to a year ago, volumes are down overall at both ports.

Import cargo volumes at major United States-based container ports are expected to remain at the same levels they were at a year ago this summer, with subsequent increases in the fall, according to the monthly Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.