Import Growth Slowdown to Give Congested Ports ‘Welcome Break’: NRF

Imports at major U.S. retail ports are expected to grow only “modestly” during 2022's first half, giving a “welcome break” to the supply chain bottlenecks at the Port of Los Angeles and other U.S. entry points, reported the National Retail Federation Wednesday. “We’re not going to see the dramatic growth in imports we saw this time last year, but the fact that volumes aren’t falling is a clear sign of continued consumer demand,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president-supply chain and customs policy. “The slowdown in cargo growth will be welcome as the supply chain continues to try to adapt to these elevated volumes.” U.S. ports handled 2.09 million 20-foot-long cargo containers and their equivalents in December, 1.2% fewer than in November and a 1% year-over-year decline, said NRF. Imports for all of 2021 totaled 25.8 million containers, a 17.4% increase over 2020’s record high of 22 million, it said. NRF forecast ports will handle 13 million containers during the first half, up 1.5% from a year earlier but exponentially lower than the 35.7% year-over-year increase in 2021's first six months, said the association.