Zepol Corporation, the leading trade intelligence company, reports that U.S. import shipment volume for October, measured in TEUs, increased 0.33% from September and decreased 1% from October of 2010. The total number of inbound shipments rose 1% from September and increased the same amount from October of last year. Year to date, total TEUs are up 1.13% this year over last year.

Key Statistics from this Month's Update:

  • After a 15% drop in September, shipments from Europe recovered in October by jumping 10%, mainly due to increased imports from Italy, France, and Spain. Imports from Asia continued a downward trend for the second consecutive month, with TEUs slipping 1.5% from September. Central America posted an increase in TEUs of nearly 5% from September; key contributors to the increase were Guatemala and Costa Rica. Lastly, vessel imports from Mexico reached a record-high for the year in October with 5,700 TEUs imported.
  • Ports in the Pacific region of the U.S. increased TEU imports by 0.67% in October, after posting a 9% decrease in September. Imports into the Port of L.A. increased 4.5% while imports into the Port of Long Beach decreased 8.8% from September. The Port of Oakland saw imports drop for the second consecutive month.

The number one carrier, Maersk Line, jumped 13.6% from September and exhibited a record-high number of imports in October, reaching 173,000 shipments. Coming in second is Mediterranean Shipping Company which saw inbound shipments increase 5% from September.