U.S. import shipment volume for June, measured in TEUs, decreased 4.57 percent from May and 7.38 percent from June of 2010, according to Zepol Corporation, a trade intelligence company. The total number of shipments also decreased 4.79 percent from May and more than 6 percent from June of 2010. Year to date, total TEUs are up 4.80 percent this year over last year.

Key statistics from this Month's Update:

1.    The overall June decrease was largely caused by the nearly 6-percent decrease in incoming shipments from Asia. China played a large part in this, with a 5.82-percent decrease in shipments. Japan, however, showed a 2.53-percent increase in incoming shipments. Similar to Asia, Central America and South America exhibited a 4.85-percent and 7.56-percent decrease, respectively, while Europe looked promising with a slight import decrease of only 0.14 percent.

2.    The Pacific, South Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic ports in the U.S. each showed a decrease of 6.18 percent, 2.93 percent, and 5.34 percent, respectively, of incoming shipments. The ports in California ended their two-month-long streak of rising imports and posted an 8-percent decrease when compared to June of 2010.

3.    Maersk Line maintains their number one carrier spot, although they showed a 4.53-percent decrease in TEUs from May. While the majority of carriers suffered a similar decrease in TEUs in June, Orient Overseas Container Line recorded a healthy 3.54-percent increase, keeping them within our top 10 carriers list.

Zepol's data is derived from bills of lading entered into the Automated Manifest System.

Source: Zepol Corporation