U.S. container imports jump 9.27% in May, Zepol reports

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, June 15, 2011

MINNEAPOLIS — Container shipments of consumer and commercial goods rose in May, according to an analysis by Zepol Corp., which collects and reports on international trade data.

U.S. imports of 20-foot equivalent containers rose 9.27% from April and 8.76% from May 2010, while total worldwide shipments rose 9.35% from April and more than 9% from May.

According to Zepol's analysis, overall shipments from Asia rose 12% from April, with most of the product shipped from China. Shipments from Japan decreased 2.43% in May, primarily because of the ongoing effects of the March earthquake and tsunami.

Shipments from Europe rose 7% and shipments from Central America fell nearly 5% compared with April.

Shipments to U.S. West Coast ports rose sharply from April to May, with ports in Los Angeles recording a 14.18% increase and ports in Long Beach up 11.34% increase, Zepol reported.

A breakdown was not immediately available for indoor residential furniture shipments.