Imports Hit Record High This Summer as Consumers Resumed Buying

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Imports Hit Record High This Summer as Consumers Resumed Buying

Washington, DC, October 9, 2020-Imports reached an all-time high this summer as retail sales bounced back from the pandemic and merchants replenished inventories and stocked up early for the holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“After staying at home this spring, consumers are buying again, and retail supply chains are working overtime to keep up with demand,” NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy Jonathan Gold said in a release. “Nothing about this year is predictable, but retailers are making sure their shelves and warehouses are well-stocked for the holidays. They are also stocking up earlier than usual because they know many consumers will be shopping early this year to avoid crowds and shipping delays. Some holiday merchandise that normally wouldn’t arrive until Halloween is already here.”

U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units in August, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was up 9.7% from July and up 8% year-over-year. It was the highest number of containers imported in a single month since NRF began tracking imports in 2002, beating 2.04 million TEUs seen in October 2018 ahead of a scheduled tariff increase.

September was estimated at 2.08 million TEUs, a 10.9% year-over-year increase. September’s actual total won’t be known until next month, but it could become the second-highest month on record. October is forecast at 1.86 million TEUs, down 1.1% year-over-year.

Those numbers would amount to a record 7.96 million TEUs during the July-October “peak season” when retailers rush to bring in merchandise for the winter holidays, topping 7.7 million TEUs in 2018. Three-fourths of peak season imports – an estimated 6.1 million TEUs – already have arrived, preparing retailers for the early shopping NRF expects this year.

November is forecast at 1.61 million TEUs, down 5.1% year-over-year, and December at 1.53 million TEUs, down 11.2%. That would bring 2020 to 20.5 million TEUs, a drop of 4.9% from last year to tie 2017 for the lowest annual total in three years. The first half of 2020 totaled 9.5 million TEUs, down 10.1% from last year.