Intermodal container volume set a new record in 2011 with 12.4 million moves, beating former record-year 2007 by 3.7%, according to Intermodal Association of North America's Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report.


The North American intermodal industry delivering overall volume increases of 4.1% for the quarter and 4.9% for the year. It was intermodal's second consecutive year and eighth consecutive quarter of year-over-year volume gains.

Record fourth quarter container volume was largely a result of continued strength in domestic container loadings, which jumped more than 12% during the quarter and totaled 4.93 million for the year. This was a 9.6% increase over 2010's total. Gains in domestic containers were solid in all IANA regions during the quarter.

Big box domestic loadings of 48' and 53' domestic containers also posted their highest-recorded numbers in Q4 and the year, accounting for 39.8% of all container volume during 2011.

Overall 2011 Intermodal Volume Comparisons:

-Trailers were up 1.7% from 1.66 million to 1.69 million
-Domestic Containers were up 9.6% from 4.50 million to 4.93 million
-All Domestic Equiptment was up 7.5% from 6.16 million to 6.62 million
-ISO Container numbers were up 2.8% from 7.25 million 7.45 million
-All intermodal movements jumped 4.9% from 13.41 million to 14.07 million