A total of 1,542,450 TEUs of containers were exported to the U.S. from 18 economies in Asia in September, up 9.3% year on year, according to statistics compiled by the Japan Maritime Center (JMC) from data provided by JOC Group’s Port Import/Export Reporting Service (PIERS). Due to a last-minute import increase before tariff hikes that Washington will impose on shipments from China and massive consumption in the U.S., eastbound container throughput turned upward for the first time in two months and exceeded the 1.5-million-TEU line for three months in a row. In January-September, 12,925,775 TEUs were moved on the route, up 5.2%, setting a new record for the nine months in question.
By origin, exports from China grew 10.5% to 1,031,651 TEUs; from South Korea, 1.9% to 67,229 TEUs and from Taiwan, 5.7% to 50,919 TEUs, all of which increased year on year for the first time in two months. Those from Japan swelled mildly to 46,960 TEUs, posting year-on-year growth for five months in a row.
Containers from ASEAN members inflated 8.9% to 233,476 TEUs in total, achieving a year-on-year improvement for 29 consecutive months. More specifically, those from Vietnam surged 15% to 102,952 TEUs, exceeding the 100,000-TEU mark for the third straight month. Exports from Thailand climbed 4.7% to 46,496 TEUs and from Indonesia, 6.1% to 33,035 TEUs. Increases were posted for those from almost all countries in the region.
Exports from South Asia soared 15.8% to a total of 85,916 TEUs, accomplishing a year-on-year increase for three months running. Those from India jumped 18.4% to 63,852 TEUs and from Bangladesh, 20.6% to 9,301 TEUs.