U.S. Containerized Exports Climb for 8th Consecutive Quarter
Strong demand for agricultural products in Asia drove U.S. containerized exports up by 6.7% in the third quarter. Total U.S. containerized export volume is up 8.3% through the first nine months of 2011
Westbound trans-Pacific volumes represented 56% of total U.S. containerized exports.
Strong demand for agricultural products in Asia drove U.S. containerized exports up by 6.7% in the third quarter. Total U.S. containerized export volume is up 8.3% through the first nine months of 2011.
According to figures released by The Journal of Commerce/PIERS, Westbound trans-Pacific trade for the third quarter rose 10.4% year-over-year to 1,653,158 20-foot-equivalent units, pushed by a surge in exports to China. The top market for U.S. exports, China followed its second quarter increase of 6% with a 13% jump in the third quarter to 652,069 TEUs.
An increase in grain containerization and strong demand for wastepaper and scrap metal contributed to the third quarter total of 2,933,396 TEUs exported, which marked the eighth consecutive quarter of containerized exports growth.
"Grain importers in China are finding financing more readily available when their shipments are containerized, which is driving a shift in shipment methods for grains and soybeans," said Mario O. Moreno, economist for The Journal of Commerce/PIERS, noting a third quarter leap of 98% in containerized soybean volumes to 40,298 TEUs.
The results were in line with Moreno's forecast of 6.3% growth in exports in the quarter and a forecast of 10% growth in the trans-Pacific market, as outlined in The Journal of Commerce's recent Container Shipping Outlook.
The westbound trans-Pacific volumes represented 56% of total exports. Shipments to Taiwan, Korea and Australia rose 24, 12, and 19%, respectively, while exports to Italy dropped 23% to 31,275 TEUs.
A full analysis of the JOC/PIERS findings is available online at a href="http://www.joc.com">www.joc.com.
More Fleet Management
How Telematics Improves Visibility, Control, and Performance in Refrigerated Fleets
Explore how telematics help refrigerated fleets improve visibility, uptime, efficiency, compliance, and cargo protection across connected cold chain operations.
Read More →
What the U.S.-Canada Trade War Means for Trucking
Escalating U.S.-Canada tariffs could disrupt cross-border freight, reduce truck volumes, raise costs, and create new uncertainty for carriers on both sides of the border.
Read More →
What Are Trucking’s Top Concerns for 2026?
The American Transportation Research Institute wants to know what's worrying trucking fleet managers, drivers, and other stakeholders in its annual Industry Issues survey.
Read More →
American Trucking Associations Looks for a New Leader
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear abruptly left his job at the association on August 21, at a pivotal time for the trucking industry.
Read More →
Public Wi-Fi Cybersecurity Risks: How Truck Drivers and Fleets Can Protect Their Data
Public Wi-Fi can expose truck drivers and fleets to credential theft, malware, and other cyber threats. Here’s how to reduce the risk on the road.
Read More →
For Nicky Cupp, Fleet Innovation Starts With Frustration
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Nicky Cupp turns everyday pain points at Fraley & Schilling into opportunities for better technology and smarter processes.
Read More →
Adam Buttgenbach’s Approach to Electric Trucks: Start With Where They Fit
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Adam Buttgenbach helped PepsiCo build one of North America’s largest EV fleets by focusing on where electric trucks make operational sense.
Read More →
Deen Albert: Let Automation Do the Math, People Make the Decisions
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Deen Albert makes sure people are still at the heart of operations at Grand Island Express, even while adopting artificial intelligence tools. AI-assisted dispatch helped boost revenue 25% with the same number of trucks.
Read More →
Trimble’s New AI Agent Takes Aim at Fleet Back-Office Busywork
Arc Agent works across Trimble TMS products to automate repetitive tasks such as freight orders, maintenance, invoices, fuel costs and more.
Read More →
How HDT’s 2026 Truck Fleet Innovators Are Rethinking Fleet Operations
Meet five trucking leaders who are challenging assumptions, solving operational problems, and putting innovative ideas to work.
Read More →