Home/American Shipper/U.S. exports set 1H record American Shipper U.S. exports set 1H record FreightWaves Staff · Friday, August 09, 2013 U.S. merchandise exports for the first half of 2013 totaled a record $781 billion, up $8 billion from the same period last year. Although exports continue to reach new highs, the pace of growth is slowing down.