Intermodal shipments up 2% in first quarter

Growth in domestic container movements offset declines in trailer and ISO container volumes, according to the Intermodal Association of North America.    Intermodal shipments in North America in the first quarter of this year totaled 3,853,661 units, 2 percent more than in the first quarter of 2014, according to the latest figures from the Intermodal Association of North America.
   IANA noted the increase came “despite port congestion issues that impacted international container traffic.”
   The association added that domestic containers moves were the “bulwark of intermodal growth, up 6.5 percent over the first quarter of 2014” to 1,568,581 units in the first quarter of 2015.
   That increase was enough to offset a 0.4 percent decline in movements of international “ISO” containers to 1,883,031 units in the first quarter of 2015, and a 2.7 decline to 402,049 units in trailer moves during the same period.
   “Monthly first quarter results were uneven due to the issues on the West Coast,” said Joni Casey, president and chief executive officer of IANA. “Despite February’s challenges, however, we still saw some overall quarterly growth, led by big boxes in regions less affected by port congestion.”
   “Domestic intermodal results were particularly impressive in view of the challenges facing the import sector,” said IANA. “A significant share of the freight carried by domestic intermodal is transloaded from 40 foot containers that come through a port. First quarter volumes exceeded the 5.1 percent gain recorded in Q4 of 2014.”
   “Regional traffic growth remained tied to port issues, notwithstanding the relative strength of domestic intermodal,” added IANA, noting:

• In the Southwest, volumes were down 5.7 percent from Q1 2014.
• Southeast volumes surged 9.9 percent when compared to the same period a year earlier, due to increases in both domestic and international containers. Intra-Southeast were particularly strong, jumping 16.5 percent.
• Western Canada intermodal traffic was 10.6 percent higher in the first quarter when compared to the same period last year.

   Intermodal marketing companies (IMCs) reported 3 percent growth in Q1, which IANA said lays “the groundwork for an even stronger performance in the coming months.”