Week 29: Chemicals and Steel Lead Import Traffic

Total traffic for all imports entering U.S. ports continues to surge in the summer of 2010, according to U.S. import market data compiled by Zepol Corp. Through week 29, 2010, overall traffic is up 15% over the same period in 2009; just two weeks earlier, year-to-date traffic had been up 14%.

The two industry sectors with the most activity in week 29 are chemical imports (up 96% in week 29 and up 85% for the year) and steel imports (up 55% for the week and up 21% for the year). The weakest sectors for the week are wood/pulp imports (down 42% for the week and 37% for the year) and furniture imports (down 18% for week 29 and 27% for the year).

Geographically, the greatest increase in activity for week 29 was at the West Coast ports, where import traffic was up 29% compared to the same week in 2009. Traffic at the Gulf Coast ports was up 13%, while traffic at the East Coast ports was up 7%. Traffic at all other U.S. ports, however, was down 19% for the week.

Waterborne AMS Shipment Count Number of Shipments Entering U.S. Ports Week 29 Total Traffic Week 29 Cumulative Year to Date Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 2010 2009 Change 2010 2009 Change Food and Beverage 12,623 11,366 11% 365,868 310,310 18% Autos and Parts 6,426 5,275 22% 172,014 141,325 22% Chemical 1,841 941 96% 50,505 27,319 85% Plastics and Rubbers 21,556 18,347 17% 509,169 431,747 18% Wood/Pulp 8,817 15,134 -42% 230,029 367,004 -37% Textile 23,546 19,920 18% 545,915 498,201 10% Mineral and Stone 4,141 3,631 14% 106,011 91,367 16% Steel 6,147 3,975 55% 156,011 128,864 21% Electronics 7,186 6,591 9% 191,765 153,995 25% Furniture 13,523 16,565 -18% 336,433 462,037 -27% All U.S. Imports 202,515 171,009 18% 5,086,449 4,438,109 15% East Coast Ports Week 29 Cumulative Year to Date Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 2010 2009 Change 2010 2009 Change Food and Beverage 6,177 6,009 3% 193,251 164,792 17% Autos and Parts 2,342 1,974 19% 62,922 51,520 22% Chemical 755 500 51% 19,963 11,654 71% Plastics and Rubbers 6,920 6,383 8% 177,079 150,330 18% Wood/Pulp 3,096 5,131 -40% 89,126 118,260 -25% Textile 7,900 7,493 5% 204,085 189,527 8% Mineral and Stone 1,710 1,662 3% 48,722 40,377 21% Steel 1,948 1,543 26% 56,320 46,192 22% Electronics 1,842 1,394 32% 52,089 37,845 38% Furniture 4,019 6,044 -34% 113,416 167,404 -32% All U.S. Imports 72,137 67,697 7% 1,966,412 1,735,757 13% West Coast Ports Week 29 Cumulative Year to Date Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 2010 2009 Change 2010 2009 Change Food and Beverage 5,561 4,443 25% 140,204 118,449 18% Autos and Parts 3,793 2,737 39% 99,411 79,659 25% Chemical 907 319 184% 25,333 11,822 114% Plastics and Rubbers 13,874 11,156 24% 308,003 261,579 18% Wood/Pulp 5,323 9,171 -42% 128,512 228,534 -44% Textile 15,057 11,747 28% 321,474 289,923 11% Mineral and Stone 1,961 1,569 25% 45,944 41,926 10% Steel 3,052 2,094 46% 77,406 61,941 25% Electronics 4,954 4,250 17% 123,185 102,330 20% Furniture 9,233 10,065 -8% 213,033 280,242 -24% All U.S. Imports 119,399 92,573 29% 2,806,234 2,409,258 16% Gulf Coast Ports Week 29 Cumulative Year to Date Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 2010 2009 Change 2010 2009 Change Food and Beverage 686 651 5% 22,152 18,477 20% Autos and Parts 177 188 -6% 6,793 5,266 29% Chemical 152 97 57% 4,134 3,116 33% Plastics and Rubbers 531 535 -1% 16,020 12,141 32% Wood/Pulp 248 679 -63% 7,728 14,982 -48% Textile 322 359 -10% 10,366 9,520 9% Mineral and Stone 412 321 28% 9,446 7,039 34% Steel 847 266 218% 18,506 17,789 4% Electronics 344 884 -61% 14,354 11,631 23% Furniture 184 238 -23% 5,787 6,954 -17% All U.S. Imports 8,071 7,160 13% 224,310 200,221 12% Other Ports Week 29 Cumulative Year to Date Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 Week Ending Jun 24, 2010 2010 2009 Change 2010 2009 Change Food and Beverage 199 263 -24% 10,261 8,592 19% Autos and Parts 114 376 -70% 2,888 4,880 -41% Chemical 27 25 8% 1,075 727 48% Plastics and Rubbers 231 273 -15% 8,067 7,697 5% Wood/Pulp 150 153 -2% 4,663 5,228 -11% Textile 267 321 -17% 9,990 9,231 8% Mineral and Stone 58 79 -27% 1,908 2,025 -6% Steel 300 72 317% 3,779 2,942 28% Electronics 46 63 -27% 2,137 2,189 -2% Furniture 87 218 -60% 4,197 7,437 -44% All U.S. Imports 2,908 3,579 -19% 89,493 92,873 -4%

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