The Global Port Tracker report, released jointly by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates, forecasts that monthly inbound cargo volumes at U.S. major container ports will reach their highest levels in nearly two years this summer.
According to Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, this surge, expected to extend over seven months with import levels consistently exceeding two million TEUs, is partly attributed to shifts in the traditional peak shipping season.
In compliance with the Japan International Freight Forwarders Association (JIFFA), in April, the ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.02 million TEUs, marking a 4.6% increase from March and a 13.2% rise year-over-year—the highest since October 2022’s 2.06 million TEUs.
While May’s figures are yet to be reported, projections suggest volumes climbed to 2.09 million TEUs, an 8.3% increase, reaching the highest level since August 2022’s 2.26 million TEUs.
June is anticipated to see further growth at 2.11 million TEUs, up 15.2%, followed by July at 2.1 million TEUs (+9.5%), August at 2.17 million TEUs (+10.6%), September at 2.06 million TEUs (+1.7%), and October at 2.01 million TEUs (-2.3%).
Overall, the first half of 2024 is projected to handle 12.1 million TEUs, reflecting a 15% increase from the corresponding period last year.