Supply Chain Research

U.S. seaborne imports of containerized freight increased by 50.5% year over year in March and by 36.9% when compared to March 2019. That resulted in a record 3.02 million TEUs shipped, or 97,300 TEUs per day. The latter was 7.2% higher than the peak season of the three months to Nov. 30, indicating the degree of stress still present in logistics networks even before the volatility caused by the Suez Canal blockage arrives. Consumer demand has continued to be the main driver of growth, with imports of leisure products and home furnishings having climbed 94.9% and 91.4% in March 2021 versu...