TOKYO -- Container shipping from Asia to the U.S. in October rose 7.3% from a year earlier to more than 1.4 million 20-foot equivalent units -- the highest ever recorded -- according to figures released Tuesday by the Japan Maritime Center.
October was the first time in two months that container volume grew from the year-earlier period. For the first 10 months of this year, volume was up 2.5% and remains on a record pace. Backed by solid housing investment and consumer spending, shipments of furniture and construction tools climbed 4.9%, and shipping volumes of audiovisual products such as televisions and video equipment rose 4.6%.
One reason container shipments rose in October was likely the upheaval in the logistics industry caused by the failure of Hanjin Shipping. In September, some ports barred the South Korean company's container ships laden with cargo from docking out of fear of not being paid. Cargo unloading was likely also delayed until October, according to the Japan Maritime Center.
(Nikkei)
