Logistics Numbers Start 2013 Healthy cont.

From transportation indexes to warehousing construction, business figures made a strong transition from 2012 to 2013.

Imports and Exports:

• In November, the U.S. imported about $231.3 billion of cargo. November U.S. imports have increased 3.8% in terms of value from October, and rose 2.5% year-over-year. (Source: US Census);

• In November, the U.S. exported more than $182.6 billion of cargo. November U.S. exports have increased 1.0% in terms of value over the previous month and grew 3.3% year-over-year. (Source: US Census);

• U.S. import prices fell 0.1% in December. Import prices fell 1.5% over the past year. The price index for U.S. exports also fell 0.1% in December. Export prices increased 1.1% year-over-year. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics);

Employment:

• The unemployment rate in America remained unchanged at 7.8% in December 2012 as there were 155,000 net new jobs, down from the revised 161,000 new jobs created in November. (Source: US DOL);

• The trucking industry added 4,200 jobs in December. The trucking workforce increased 0.3% over the previous month and rose 3.37% over the previous year. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Rail:

• Railroad bulk carload freight in December 2012 rose 2.3% from November 2012. Freight traffic in December fell 4.2% from December 2011. Carloads excluding coal and grain increased 6.0% over the previous year. (Source: AAR.org) (Report includes rail car-loadings by 19 different major commodity categories as well as intermodal units);

• Intermodal rail traffic in December 2012 was 1.7% higher than in December 2011 and 1.0% higher than November 2012 totals. Intermodal loadings have experienced year-over-year gains for 37 straight months. (Source: AAR.org) (Report includes rail car-loadings by 19 different major commodity categories as well as intermodal units).

Trucking:

• The ATA’s seasonally adjusted cargo index rose 3.7% in November after falling 3.7% in October. The for-hire truck tonnage index rose 1% year-over-year. (Source: American Trucking Association | Trucking.org);
• The spot market for truckload freight in December fell 18% compared to the previous month, and was 1.8% higher year-over-year. Truck capacity fell 10% for the month, and was up 9% year-over-year. (Source: TransCore Freight Index | www.transcorefreightsolutions.com)
Air:
• Global air freight traffic in November increased 1.6% from one year ago and rose 2.4% from the previous month. North American air freight in November rose 2% year-over-year. (Source: IATA.org) (Global air freight covers international and domestic scheduled air traffic. North American traffic includes only domestic freight traffic.);
• In October, the average international air cargo rate was $3.99 per kilogram, rising 11.9% from the previous month. Average air freight rates were down 13.4% year-over-year. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) (The Drewry Air Freight Price Index is based on the average of rates ($US per kg) for cargoes of 100+kg to 1,000+kg cargoes from Shanghai to London, Moscow, Prague, New York, and Los Angeles.)
Ocean:
• Import shipment volume, in TEUs, at U.S. ports increased 1.2% in 2012 year-over-year. Over 17.6 million TEUs were imported last year. Maersk Line was the top carrier for 2012 and increased its TEU imports by 7.9% in 2012. (Source: Zepol Corporation | zepol.com)

Warehousing:

• The U.S. average industrial vacancy rate was 9.21% during Q3 2012, down from 9.37% in the previous quarter. Overall vacancy was 12.7% in Atlanta and 12.16% in Savannah during the third quarter. (Source: Colliers International)
• Total value of inventory on hand is estimated at $1.62 Trillion in November 2012, up 0.3% from October and up 5.5% from November 2011. (Source: US Census)
Purchasing Managers Index:
• The National PMI rose 1.2 points to 50.7 in December 2012. New orders remained the same at 50.3 and production fell 1.1 points to 52.6. (Source: Institute for Supply Management) (The PMI combines data on new orders, inventory, production, supplier deliveries, and employment. A reading above 50 indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding.)

Trucking:

• The ATA’s seasonally adjusted cargo index rose 3.7% in November after falling 3.7% in October. The for-hire truck tonnage index rose 1% year-over-year. (Source: American Trucking Association | Trucking.org);

• The spot market for truckload freight in December fell 18% compared to the previous month, and was 1.8% higher year-over-year. Truck capacity fell 10% for the month, and was up 9% year-over-year. (Source: TransCore Freight Index | www.transcorefreightsolutions.com)

Air:

• Global air freight traffic in November increased 1.6% from one year ago and rose 2.4% from the previous month. North American air freight in November rose 2% year-over-year. (Source: IATA.org) (Global air freight covers international and domestic scheduled air traffic. North American traffic includes only domestic freight traffic.);

• In October, the average international air cargo rate was $3.99 per kilogram, rising 11.9% from the previous month. Average air freight rates were down 13.4% year-over-year. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) (The Drewry Air Freight Price Index is based on the average of rates ($US per kg) for cargoes of 100+kg to 1,000+kg cargoes from Shanghai to London, Moscow, Prague, New York, and Los Angeles.)

Ocean:

• Import shipment volume, in TEUs, at U.S. ports increased 1.2% in 2012 year-over-year. Over 17.6 million TEUs were imported last year. Maersk Line was the top carrier for 2012 and increased its TEU imports by 7.9% in 2012. (Source: Zepol Corporation | zepol.com)

Warehousing:

• The U.S. average industrial vacancy rate was 9.21% during Q3 2012, down from 9.37% in the previous quarter. Overall vacancy was 12.7% in Atlanta and 12.16% in Savannah during the third quarter. (Source: Colliers International)

• Total value of inventory on hand is estimated at $1.62 Trillion in November 2012, up 0.3% from October and up 5.5% from November 2011. (Source: US Census)
Purchasing Managers Index:

• The National PMI rose 1.2 points to 50.7 in December 2012. New orders remained the same at 50.3 and production fell 1.1 points to 52.6. (Source: Institute for Supply Management) (The PMI combines data on new orders, inventory, production, supplier deliveries, and employment. A reading above 50 indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding.)