National Retail Federation

For June, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 2.16 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), marking a 3.6% gain over May and up 17.7% annually. Which brings total volume over the first half to 2024 to 12.1 million TEU, a 15% annual increase.

For May, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 2.08 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), up 3% compared to March and up 7.5% annually. What’s more, the report pointed out that this marks the highest monthly tally going back to August 2022, when it came in at 2.26 million TEU.

Retail sales continue to grow, albeit at slower rates, and as a result, brands are taking advantage of excess cargo capacity in bringing in merchandise earlier than normal

Commerce reported that May retail sales, at $703.1 billion, were up 0.1% compared to April and up 2.3% annually. NRF reported that May’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 0.3%, from April to May, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, and increased 2.9% annually on an unadjusted basis.

Negotiations between the ILA and USMX have broken down over the use of automation at port terminals.

For April, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 2.02 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), up 4.6% compared to March and up 13.2% annually. What’s more, the report pointed out that this marks the highest monthly tally going back to October 2023, when it came in at 2.06 million TEU.

The U.S. retail sector experienced mixed results in April, with total sales flat from March but up 3% annually.

Commerce reported that April retail trade sales were up 0.4% over March and were up 2.7% annually. And the National Retail Federation reported that NRF reported that February’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, fell 0.2% on a seasonally-adjusted basis compared to March and were up 3.9% on an unadjusted basis annually.

For March, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 1.93 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), down 1.4% compared to February and up 18.7% annually, a period when Asian export activity was slow on the heels of Lunar New Year shutdowns, it noted.   

Amid various supply chain issues, United States retail container ports are expected to see imports top the 2-million mark in May for the first time since October, according to the new edition of the Port Tracker report, which was issued today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates.

NRF is pegging 2024 retail sales to increase between 2.5%-to-3.5% to between $5.23 trillion and $5.28 trillion. Should this forecast come to fruition, NRF said that it would top 2023 retail sales, which rose 3.6% to $5.1 trillion.

NRF is pegging 2024 retail sales to increase between 2.5%-to-3.5% to between $5.23 trillion and $5.28 trillion. Should this forecast come to fruition, NRF said that it would top 2023 retail sales, which rose 3.6% to $5.1 trillion.

Commerce reported that February retail sales, at $700.7 billion, rose 0.6% compared to January and were up 1.5% annually. NRF reported that February’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, saw a 0.2% seasonally-adjusted increase over January and a 5.5% annual increase on an unadjusted basis.

For January, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 1.96 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), a 4.7% increase over December, and an 8.6% annual increase.

Retailers have generally navigated around the Red Sea cargo disruptions, but trade groups said costs will begin to rise even as they project a growth in imports.