PRESS ROOM

The number of container ships in US coastal waters has fallen to less than half of the count a year earlier, in the latest ominous sign of slowing global trade, says Bloomberg.

As a provider of international container shipping services, the U-Freight Group, which has a strong presence in the USA through our U-Freight America subsidiary, notes that Bloomberg reports there were 106 container ships both in port and off the coastline late Sunday (March 12th), compared with 218 at this time last year, a 51% drop according to vessel data it has analyzed.

Data from IHS Markit showed that the weekly count of port calls in US waters through March 4 had slowed to 1,105 from 1,906 the year prior. That’s the lowest level since mid-September 2020.

Bad weather may be partly to blame. More broadly, a slowdown in global consumer demand — driven by weaker economic growth and higher inflation — is translating into fewer vessels needed for shipping goods from Asia’s top manufacturing hubs to the USA and Europe.

You can find more information about the U-Freight Group’s ocean freight services; as well as our operations in North America by visiting our website or speaking to your usual contact in our company.