Retail Imports to Grow 4.5% in the First Half of 2016
Retail imports based on cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to decline year-over-year for the next few months but the first half of the year should still amount to a 4.5% increase compared with the same period last year, according to the National Retail Federation.
At the same time, import volumes are returning to West Coast ports after the labor issues that plagued the first half of 2015. Busy East Coast ports like New York and New Jersey saw large spikes in the double digits last year, as shippers sought alternate means to ensure product delivery, even if it meant significantly longer transit times.