Seattle Container Traffic Rebounds - 

Containerized imports at the Port of Seattle increased 5 percent in March over the same month last year. Exports were up even more, increasing 8.3 percent over March 2011.  U.S. imports from Asia were generally down in February due to the closure of factories for the annual Chinese New Year celebration. The solid rebound in March bodes well for the eastbound trade this year.

U.S. exports to Asia continue to outperform imports, although export growth could moderate in the spring and early summer in line with normal seasonal trends.  Seattle's total international container volume in March increased 6.5 percent compared to March 2011. The port's total of containers handled, including empties and the coastal trade with Alaska, was up 5.8 percent.  Seattle's year-to-date performance is lagging that of 2011. Containerized imports January through March were down 5.8 percent, and exports were down 0.9 percent.

Container, Breakbulk Volumes Surge At Tacoma - 

Containerized imports through the Port of Tacoma surged 14.6 percent and exports jumped 10.4 percent year-over-year in March, as Pacific Northwest port recovered from a weak February.  Imports of 43,221 20-foot-equivalent units in the month climbed from 37,707 TEUs in March 2011 and were up nearly 40 percent from February's 31,100 TEUs. March's exports of 39,098 TEUs were up from March 2011 exports of 35,441 TEUs and 30 percent ahead of February's 30,014 TEUs.  Year-to-date, imports rose 4.6 percent from the first quarter of 2011, while exports were up 1.3 percent. Total international loads, both inbound and outbound, increased 3.1 percent in the first three months of 2012.  The biggest gainer in Tacoma in the first quarter was breakbulk cargo, which was up 93 percent from the same quarter of 2011. Strong demand for machinery and construction equipment caused the surge in breakbulk cargo, the port reported.  Other big gains recorded through March were grain, up 20 percent, and intermodal lifts, which rose 15 percent compared to the same period last year.

Los Angeles - Long Beach Container Volumes Climb - 

Container volumes at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach bounced back strongly in March following a weak February.  Imports in Long Beach increased 18.3 percent and exports were up 10 percent compared to March 2011. Total container volume, including empties, was up 12 percent.

Imports in Los Angeles increased 9.3 percent while exports were down 2.4 percent compared to March 2011. Total container volume was up 8.3 percent.

February was an especially weak month for imports because factories in Asia were shut down for as long as two weeks for the annual Chinese New Year celebration. Imports declined 18 percent in Long Beach and 7.8 percent in Los Angeles compared to February 2011.  April could be another good month as retailers step up their imports from Asia to get ahead of a general rate increase shipping lines in the eastbound Pacific plan to implement beginning May 1.

March was the busiest month of the year so far for exports, and could be the peak month until late this year. Exports normally trend downward during the spring and summer months, and then increase during the autumn harvest.

Total container volume in Long Beach in the first three months of the year is down 2.9 percent compared to the same period last year. Total container volume year-to-date in Los Angeles is up 3.2 percent.

Virginia Container Volume Up 4.4% - 

The Port of Virginia handled 166,719 twenty-foot-equivalent units of containers in March, an increase of 4.4 percent from a year earlier. Volume for the year's first three months was 478,069 TEUs, up from 472,665 TEUs in the first quarter of 2011.  March breakbulk volume rose 8.6 percent to 32,011 tons, and increased 26.5 in the first quarter to 94,387 tons.  Rail containers handled in March totaled 31,532, up 12.5 percent from a year earlier. First quarter rail container volume was 87,750 boxes, compared with 79,485 a year earlier.  The number of containers moved between the Port of Richmond and the Hampton Roads Harbor on the 64 Express barge service increased 114 percent in March to 779 containers. First quarter volume more than doubled to 2,220 containers from 1,015 a year earlier.  

Trucking Continues as Primary Freight Mode, ATA Report Says -   

Trucking continues to be the dominant U.S. mode of freight transportation, hauling 67% of freight last year, according to a new American Trucking Associations report.  "American Trucking Trends" said the trucking industry moved 9.2 billion tons of freight last year - equating to $603.9 billion, or 80.9%, of the nation's total freight bill.  "Despite all of the worries about slipping back into a recession, both the trucking industry and the macro-economy are gaining some momentum," the report states.  ATA President Bill Graves called the report the "singularly most important" guide to trucking industry facts and said it shows trucking is the "driving force" behind the improving economy.  "Safe, reliable and efficient motor carriers enable businesses throughout the entire supply chain to keep inventories lean, thereby saving the economy billions of dollars each year," Graves said in a statement.