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Modest December cargoc growth expected at US ports: Port Tracker

CARGO through US major container ports is expected to grow modestly in December, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

The NRF's Global Port Tracker, completed by Hackett Associates, said import's in the year's final month is expected to grow 1.5 per cent year on year.

"Retailers are doing last-minute restocking as consumers head toward the finish line of the shopping season, but most holiday merchandise is already in the country and ports are beginning to quiet down," said federation vice president Jonathan Gold.

November was estimated at 1.64 million TEU, down 0.3 per cent year on year and December is forecast at 1.6 million TEU, up 1.5 per cent.

The total for 2017 is expected to come to 20 million TEU, topping last year's previous record of 18.8 million TEU by 6.4 per cent. That compares with 2016's 3.1 per cent increase over 2015.

January 2018 is forecast at 1.67 million TEU, down 0.5 per cent from January 2017; February at 1.6 million TEU, up 11.6 per cent from last year; March at 1.5 million TEU, down two per cent, and April at 1.66 million TEU, up 3.6 per cent. The February and March percentages account for when Asian factories close for Lunar New Year each year.