JOC Staff | Nov 13, 2012 9:04AM EST
Global container volumes dropped in September both month-to-month and year-over-year as exports from major regions fell away.
Analysis by Container Trade Statistics revealed that global box traffic fell by 0.25 percent in September compared to August and was 0.45 percent down on volume in September 2011.
By trading region, the biggest declines came from sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East, and South and Central America, where CTS recorded contractions of 14.2 percent, 10.3 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively.
North American exports also fell, down by 1.25 percent from August and 2.3 percent compared to September 2011.
Exports from Asia were up 1.4 percent year-on-year at 3.89 million 20-foot-equivalent units but fell compared to August by 0.4 percent. Volume was down 1.8 percent from this year’s peak in May.
In terms of imports, Asia saw its volume decline in September by 8.9 percent year-on-year, but CTS said North America’s imports gained by 0.54 percent year-on-year, although they fell 1.1 percent in comparison to August 2012.
The decline in Europe’s imports slowed in September, dipping just 0.32 percent to 1.7 million TEUs. The modest drop comes after large 8+ percentage point year-on-year declines in both July and August.
European exports in September continued the gains seen throughout 2012, rising 2.56 percent year-on-year to reach 1.37 million TEUs.
