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FMC publishing container freight data

Agency releases raw numbers collected from carriers

Stuart Chirls
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APM container terminal at the Port of Mobile, Ala. (Photo: APM Terminals)
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Key Takeaways:

  • The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has started releasing quarterly Containerized Freight Statistics (CFS) data, as mandated by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022.
  • The data, sourced directly from 30 major ocean carriers, covers selected major U.S. ports and includes various container sizes (20ft, 40ft, 45ft, etc.), reporting both laden and empty containers.
  • The FMC's Q1 2024 report is available online; however, the commission does not independently verify the data's accuracy.
  • These reports aim to increase transparency in container trade flows and provide better insights into port-level trends.
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The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has begun releasing Containerized Freight Statistics (CFS) data, which is submitted by ocean common carriers as mandated by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022. 

The data can now be accessed on the FMC’s website, specifically through the Containerized Freight Statistics – Q1 2024 report, the agency said in a release.

This report contains raw data directly from the carriers, presented with minimal processing. It’s important to note that the Commission does not independently verify the accuracy of this data. These statistics comprise consolidated figures from a variety of shipping container sizes, including 20-foot, 40-foot, and 45-foot containers, along with other miscellaneous sizes, whether they are empty or laden with cargo.

The scope of these reports is limited to selected major U.S. ports and includes information from 30 designated ocean common carriers. The coverage for the first release spans January to March 2024. Future updates will be made quarterly, contributing to enhanced transparency in container trade flows and enabling better insight into trends at the port level.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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Stuart Chirls

Stuart Chirls is a journalist who has covered the full breadth of railroads, intermodal, container shipping, ports, supply chain and logistics for Railway Age, the Journal of Commerce and IANA. He has also staffed at S&P, McGraw-Hill, United Business Media, Advance Media, Tribune Co., The New York Times Co., and worked in supply chain with BASF, the world's largest chemical producer. Reach him at stuartchirls@firecrown.com.