June record month for Far East-US box trade - tops 2007

TRANSPACIFIC container volumes to the United States from the Far East reached a monthly record in June of 1.23 million TEU in June, up 32 per cent year on year, reports Paris-based Alphaliner.

US container imports from the Far East were the highest on record for June even exceeding the standing June 2007 record of 1.2 million TEU, according to preliminary US Customs figures.

China led the volume surge hitting 840,000 TEU for the month. These shipments were mostly loaded in May, when Chinese ports were again recording their highest year-on-year monthly figures.

Total Far East-US trade growth for 2010 will likely exceed the Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement (TSA) forecast of six to eight per cent cargo growth made in March following the 15 per cent decline in 2009, said Alphaliner.

Volume growth in the first six months of the year has already reached 19 per cent. Second-quarter growth surged by 23 per cent following the first quarter's 14 per cent increase.

The March surge has brought about a severe shortage of space and containers. Utilisation levels are above 100 per cent since April, based on Alphaliner estimates, measured against capacity deployed on the Far East-North America route.

Despite the increase in capacity deployed on the trade, which has risen by 20 per cent in the last six months with an additional 60,000 TEU per week added, vessel space has remained tight as the peak season opens.

Alphaliner records show that 13 loops have been added to the Far East-North America trade this year, bringing the total to 70 loops in July, against 57 loops in early January.

Weekly capacity supply has grown 20 per cent from 297,000 TEU to 358,000 TEU, a situation starkly different from last year when only one string was added from August to November last year.
(Source:www.schednet.com)