Import Volume ‘Close to the Highest’ Ever Seen: NRF

Imports at the major U.S. retail container ports are expected to reach “near-record” levels this spring and summer as consumer demand and supply chain challenges “continue to result in congestion,” reported the National Retail Federation Tuesday. “Consumers are still spending and the supply chain is still working to keep up,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president-supply chain and customs policy. “Growth rates have slowed down from the off-the-charts numbers we saw last year, but volume is close to the highest we’ve ever seen.” Retailers are also bracing for “potential additional disruptions” this summer from West Coast port labor contract negotiations, said Gold. U.S. ports handled 2.16 million 20-foot-long containers or their equivalents in January, the latest month for which actual numbers are available, said NRF. That was up 3.6% from December and up 5.2% year over year.