Imports at the nation’s largest retail container ports should reach another volume record in August as consumer demand continues to stretch supply chains and retailers shift from a focus on back-to-school to preparation for the winter holiday merchandise shipping season peak, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report.
U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.15 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in June, the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates announced. Volume slipped 7.8% from May but gained 33.7% from the month a year prior when many stores couldn’t conduct business because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although full July reports aren’t in yet, Global Port Tracker projected the month at 2.22 million TEU, up 15.7% from the month in 2020. Further, the forecast for August is 2.37 million TEU, up 12.6% year-over-year and above May’s 2.33 million TEU. The forecast volume would see more containers imported in August than in any single month since NRF began tracking imports in 2002, the organization noted, adding that many retailers are moving up their shipments this year as part of risk mitigation strategies developed to ensure that sufficient inventory will arrive for the holidays.
The Global Port Tracker forecast for September is 2.21 million TEU, up 4.9% year over year. For October, it’s 2.15 million TEU, down 3% for the first year-over-year decline since July 2020, for November it’s 2.07 million TEU, down 1.5% year over year, and for December it’s 2.02 million TEU, down 4.1% year over year.
Import volume for the first half of 2021 totaled 12.8 million TEU, up 35.6% from the same period a year previous. For the full year, 2021 is on track to total 25.9 million TEU, up 17.5% versus 2020, reaching a new annual record topping last year’s 22 million. Cargo imports during 2020 were up 1.9% from 2019 despite pandemic effects.
Strong consumer demand has outpaced supply chain operations since late last year and could remain a challenge as the holidays approach. The continuing lack of labor, equipment and capacity has highlighted systemic issues and the need to create a truly 21st century supply chain to ensure resiliency against the next major disruption. Passage of infrastructure legislation currently pending in Congress is a key step in that direction. We need continued focus by the administration to help address these issues as well.
– Jonathan Gold, NRF VP/Supply Chain and Customs Policy
“Back-to-school supplies have been hit by the same supply chain disruptions and port congestion that have affected other products this year, but retailers are working hard to ensure that school and college goods are where they need to be,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vp/supply chain and customs policy, in announcing the import volumes. “Strong consumer demand has outpaced supply chain operations since late last year and could remain a challenge as the holidays approach. The continuing lack of labor, equipment and capacity has highlighted systemic issues and the need to create a truly 21st century supply chain to ensure resiliency against the next major disruption. Passage of infrastructure legislation currently pending in Congress is a key step in that direction. We need continued focus by the administration to help address these issues as well.”
Global Port Tracker, produced for NRF by Hackett Associates, provides data and forecasts for the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast, New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. A TEU is one 20-foot long container or its equivalent.
