U.S. container volume set for August high

U.S. container volume set for August high Container traffic at the port of New York-New Jersey and the other largest U.S. retail ports should reach a record high in August, then drop off slightly in September before hitting the year’s traditional peak in October, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and consulting firm Global Insight.
   Port Tracker forecasts August at 1.53 million TEUs, up 3.3 percent from the same month last year and breaking last October’s record of 1.51 million TEUs. September is forecast at 1.49 million TEUs, which is flat compared to last year. October, traditionally the busiest month of the year with goods coming in for the holiday season, is forecast at 1.54 million TEUs this year, up 2 percent.
   “Cargo volumes are continuing to grow in the buildup toward peak season,” said Global Insight Economist Paul Bingham. “All of the U.S. ports we follow are operating without congestion from the harbor to the gate, and even though rail performance deteriorated slightly in May, pressure on intermodal train operations has eased. While container traffic is growing, it’s growing at a slower pace than the same time last year, which will help ensure that the system will have adequate capacity to provide acceptable performance over the next six months.”
   “All U.S. ports covered by Port Tracker — New York-New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the East Coast; Los Angeles-Long Beach, Oakland, Tacoma and Seattle on the West Coast; and Houston on the Gulf Coast — are rated “low” for congestion, the same as last month.
   “Nationwide, the ports surveyed handled 1.3 million TEUs of container traffic in April, the most recent month for which actual numbers are available. That was down 5.8 percent from April last year, but up 2 percent from this March.
   Volume in May was estimated at 1.35 million TEUs (down 1.2 percent from May 2006). June is forecast at 1.4 million TEUs (down 0.2 percent) and July at 1.48 million TEUs (up 6 percent).