Transpacific Shipping Container Availability Report for Aug. 15-21

August 16, 2012 by Brian Feito|Exports

The Agricultural Marketing Service released the “Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report” for the week of Aug. 15-21. The weekly report contains data on container availability for westbound transpacific traffic at 18 intermodal locations in the U.S.¹ from the 10 member carriers of the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA)². Although the report is compiled by AMS, it covers container availability for all merchandise, not just agricultural products.

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Weekly Estimates for Next 3 Weeks on 5 Types of Containers; Includes Maps, Tables

Estimates are available for the current week, as well as the subsequent two weeks, for each of the following five types of shipping containers: 20ft dry, 40ft dry, 40ft high-cube (HC), 20ft reefer, and 40ft reefer. The report has tables for each intermodal location showing availability of each type of shipping container from each carrier (carriers are anonymous).

Highlights of the report for the week of Aug. 15-21 include:

Over the next 3 weeks, the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York, Norfolk, and Oakland are expected to have the most available containers among the port locations reported. Availability for all equipment types is expected to increase at Los Angeles/Long Beach and New York during the next 3 weeks. Availability in Norfolk is also expected to increase, except for 40ft refrigerated containers and a small dip in 40ft high-cube containers. Availability is expected to decrease in Oakland with the exception of 20ft refrigerated containers.
Among the inland locations reported, Dallas, Chicago, and Memphis are expected to have the most containers available over the next 3 weeks. Availability is estimated to increase each week for all container types except for refrigerated equipment in Chicago.
Overall availability fell at each of the reported locations from the previous week with the exception of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Minneapolis, and Tacoma.
The estimated number of containers available at the Port of Tacoma more than doubled this week from last week -- for refrigerated equipment, Tacoma ranks 3rd after Los Angeles/Long Beach and New York. However, over the next 3 weeks, estimated availability is expected to decrease for all container types.
The participating carriers are reporting estimated increases over the next 3 weeks for nearly all reported locations and containers types, with the exception of New Orleans, Oakland, and Tacoma. The largest increases over the next 3 weeks are estimated for inland locations, such as 40ft high-cube containers in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Cincinnati; 40ft dry containers in Denver, Chicago, Kansas City, and Cincinnati; and 20ft containers in Chicago and Dallas. Increases in refrigerated equipment are expected in Memphis, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles/Long Beach.

¹The 18 intermodal locations included in the report are Long Beach/Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, Denver, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Memphis, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, and Savannah.

²These carriers are APL, COSCO, Evergreen, Hanjin Shipping, Hapag Lloyd, Yang Ming Transport Corporation, OOCL, NYK Line, K Line, and Hyundai Merchant Marine.