SIMIC

"Consumers are still buying, but the cargo surge we saw during the past two years appears to be slowing down," NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy, Jonathan Gold says.

"Cargo volumes are solidly above pre-pandemic levels, but the rate of growth has slowed and even slid into negative numbers compared with unusually high volumes last year. The key now is dealing with ongoing supply chain issues around the globe and with labour negotiations at West Coast ports and freight railroads. Smooth operations at the ports and on the rails are crucial as we enter the busy holiday season."

Talks continue between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association, whose contract expired July 1. Meanwhile, the freight railroads and their union have continued to negotiate after recommendations from the Presidential Emergency Board appointed this summer were released. Both dockworkers and railroad workers remain on the job, but there are concerns about potential disruptions.

"The number of vessels waiting to dock on the West Coast has been reduced to near-normal," Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett says. "But with the switch of some cargo to the East Coast, congestion and pressure on the ports has shifted to the East Coast. The inland supply chain, particularly rail, continues to face difficulties that have resulted in the delay of containers leaving ports, causing terminal congestion that impacts the ability of carriers to discharge their cargo."

US ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.18 million TEU in July, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was down 3.1 per cent from June and down 0.4 per cent from July 2021 - only the third year-over-year decline in two years and the first since December 2021, according to UK's Just Style.