Panjiva

February shipments—at 846,054—decreased 7.5% compared to February 2019, and containerized freight shipments, for the month, were down 4.5%. On a year-to-date basis through February, U.S.-bound waterborne shipments—at 1,874,305—are down 5.4% compared to the same period a year ago.

January shipments—at 1,026,714—fell 3.6% annually. And containerized freight shipments were off 2.8% annually, with Panjiva noting that it was notable there was a decline even with the earlier timing of the 2019 Lunar New Year. Looking back, for calendar year 2019, total shipments—at 12,243,739—slipped 1.0% compared to 2018, marking its worst annual output going back to 2009.

Coming off of October, which marked the worst performing month for United States-bound waterborne shipments since March 2016, or three and a half years, in absolute terms, when there was a 19.4% decline, imports fell again in November but at a reduced rate, according to data issued this week by global trade intelligence firm Panjiva.

October shipments, at 1,047,257, were off 8.9% annually on a preliminary basis, which was far steeper than September’s 1.6% annual decline and the third quarter’s 0.2% gain. Containerized freight shipments in October rose 7.5 On a year-to-date basis through October, shipments are up 0.05%, at 10,301,352.

September shipments, at 1,037,316, were off 1.7% annually, and on a year-to-date basis, shipments through September, at 9,252,633, are up 1.2% compared to the first nine months of 2018.

May shipments, at 1,078,514, rose 0.8% annually. On a year-to-date basis, shipments through May, at 4,974,896, are up 2.5% compared to the same period a year ago. The firm added that containerized freight was up 3% in May.

February shipments, at 909,947, fell 4.5% annually, with containerized freight handled shipments down 4%. What’s more, this decline follows an aggregate increase of 5.5% over the previous three months.

November’s 1,005,001 shipments represented a 1.8% annual gain, with 2018 shipments through November, at 11,288,944, are up 6.1% annually. Panjiva said this tally also includes containerized shipments, which saw a 3.7% annual increase.

With 1,144,033 shipments, October was up 11.9% annually, which Panjiva said marks the fastest rate of growth for monthly shipments going back to March 2014.

September shipments, at 1,050,900, were up 7.3% compared to September 2017, and on a year-to-date basis through September they are up 5.7% to 9,116,507.

August shipments were down 1.4% compared to July and up 1.4% annually. All months in 2018 have seen growth, with the exception of a 0.2% decline in March. Through August, shipments are up 5.2% year-to-date.

July shipments, at 1,096,835, topped June’s 1,025,643 and were up 6% annually for a new monthly record, according to Panjiva, topping August 2017’s 1,069,292. All months in 2018 have seen growth, with the exception of a 0.2% decline in March, which was the first one going back to a 7.7% annual drop-off in February 2017. On a year-to-date basis through July, shipments are up 6% annually at 6,975,786.

With global shippers looking to get in front of the beginning phase of recently implemented tariffs, United States-bound waterborne shipments saw gains in June.

March shipments, at 858,809, were down 0.2% annually, marking the first annual decline going back to February 2017’s 7.7% annual decline, with both of these months volumes impacted by the timing of the Asian Lunar New Year, with Panjiva noting that the resulting shortfall in products arriving on U.S. shores in the following weeks. For the first quarter of 2018, Panjiva data indicated that shipments were up 6.9% annually at 2,816,997.

February shipments, at 949,198, rose 13% annually, marking the fastest rate of growth going back to February 2016, topping January’s 7.7% annual increase, which was the best annual growth rate going back to April 2017 at that point. Through the first two months of 2017, total U.S.-bound waterborne shipments are up 10.3% compared to the same period a year ago at 1,958,188.