Insights - February 2016 - (Page 9)

2013-2015 YEARLY TRAFFIC TOTALS BY MONTH Source: IANA Equipment Type, Size and Ownership data file For more information on IANA's data and statistics products, visit www.intermodal.org or contact Art Cleaver at 301-982-3400, ext. 346. Freight Reports Post-Holiday Import Decline Expected According to the Jan. 8 Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, the nation's top containerports handled 1.48 million twenty-foot equivalent units in November 2015, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. With most holiday merchandise already in the country by that point, volume was down 5 percent from October but up 6 percent from the year before. December volume was estimated at 1.44 million TEUs, the same as 2014. The numbers are still subject to revision, but 2015 came to a preliminary total of 18.2 million TEUs, up 5.4 percent from 2014. "This is the time of year when the retail supply chain catches its breath before the next big rush begins," said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy. "Retailers are still tallying the bottom line of the holiday season, but they're also making plans for the spring and summer." The January 2016 forecast was set at 1.47 million TEUs, up 18.9 percent from weak volume seen a year earlier just before the agreement on a contract with West Coast dockworkers ended months of congestion. Inventory levels remain high, partly because of warm weather that reduced demand for winter clothing, according to Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates. "We continue to remain concerned about the high inventory-to-sales ratio," Hackett said. "Enough time has passed since the disruption on the West Coast that we can no longer look to that for justification of the high level." Global Port Tracker covers the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades and Miami on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. Monthly Total Volumes Drop Slightly, Industry Posts Gains for Year While domestic containers again led monthly intermodal volume growth in December, trailers and international shipments dropped by 18.5 and 1.4 percent respectively. The 5.9 percent rise in domestic container movements held the overall decline in volumes for the month to 0.3 percent. The year ended on a positive note with 2.8 percent growth. For information on subscribing to IANA's Intermodal Market Trends and Statistics, including 2015 fourth quarter and year-end results, go to www.intermodal.org. Truck Tonnage Index Up 1% The seasonally adjusted ForHire Truck Tonnage Index increased 1 percent in December 2015, according February 2016 | Intermodal Insights 9 http://www.intermodal.org http://www.intermodal.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - February 2016

Insights - February 2016
FMCSA Proposes Fitness Revisions
IANA Announces Expanded Sponsorship Package
IANA’s Chair Discusses Association’s 2016 Priorities
Container Weight Verification a 2016 Reality
Freight Reports
Sustainability News
Caution Urged on California Driver Reclassification
Port News
In Brief
People in the News
Welcome New Members
Intermodal Calendar

Insights - February 2016