As well as the Port Authority of Long Beach that motivated The strong decrease of the -31,7% of the traffic of the container enlivened by the Californian airport in February 2023 charging it at the lowest expense of consumers, warehouses already saturated with goods and at the standstill of production in Asia ( of 15 March 2023), also the Port Authority of Los Angeles has Explained the even more pronounced decline in traffic containerized of the -43.1% recorded the same month from the port of the City of Angels specifying - said the director General of the Port of Los A Angeles, Gene Seroka - that the decline "is exacerbated by a general slowdown in global trade, from the extension of closures for the New Year holidays lunar in Asia, from full warehouses and traffic that avoids ports of the west coast'. The latter justification, plus times used in recent months to motivate a slowdown of congestion activity in Californian ports who could not dispose of traffic recovering after the arrest caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, appears less valid today analyzing what is happening in the main ports of the east coast of the USA, also struggling with a significant decrease in container volumes.

If in the port of New York - New Jersey, the main port of call containers of the US East Coast, the downward trend of the Containerized trade has been in place since last October and January 2023, the last month for which traffic data is known, The decrease has been of -15,6% on January 2022, to February 2023 Savannah, which is the second container port on the coast East American, has enlivened 395 thousand teu, with a decrease of the -14,3%. In January 2023, however, the previous one was interrupted Short trend of decline in container traffic in the three terminals managed by the Virginia Port Authority, which constitute the third port pole of the containers of the East Coast and that have enlivened 288 thousand teu, with an increment of +10.1% on January last year.

Of course, the trend is much more negative in Los Angeles where last month, in addition to the continuation of the decreases in volumes of full containers on disembarkation and empty containers in place Since last August, volumes that in February 2023 were equal respectively to 249 thousand teu (- 41.2%) and 156 thousand teu (- 53.9%), the Last month the traffic of full containers also decreased to boarding that is piled to 82 thousand teu (- 13.7%).

Negative trend that also characterizes Oakland, which is the third container port of the East Coast and where in January 2023 the traffic is diminished of -7,2% being attested to 179 thousand TEU.

A sharp reduction in traffic that in Los Angeles, Oakland and Long Beach, as well as in other major container ports national, at least with regard to the import flow should stop this month after reaching in February 2023 one of the lowest levels since the beginning of the pandemic. This is provided for by the National Retail Federation, the US association of retail trade: "the economy - Jonathan explained Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at NRF - is burdened with many uncertainties, but we expect that in the coming months imports show modest increases. Growth - has clarified, making it clear that it will not be supported - it is a Positive sign, but levels are still far below normal and retailers will continue to be cautious working for keep stocks in line with consumer demand." Contrary to what the port authorities claim American, NRF reveals that warehouses may not be full of goods, but contain what traders are almost certain to Being able to sell despite weak demand. For National Retail Federation, the next slight recovery in traffic will be generated precisely by the need to replenish current stocks: " retailers - clarified Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, the consulting firm that with NRF produced the report "Global Port Tracker" which analyzes the trend of containerized trade in ports North Americans - are keeping stocks low in anticipation of the replenishment of new seasonal stocks once they have a Clearer view of consumer spending levels planned'.

According to the latest "Global Port Tracker" report, a February 2023 container traffic in US ports has been estimated at about 1,56 million TEU, since it represents a decline -13.6% compared to January 2023 and an unusually decrease -26.2% higher than in February 2022. A slowdown to February 2023 - highlights the report - which makes the decline recorded This month the most pronounced since May 2020 when many factories in Asia and most stores in the U.S. They were closed due to the pandemic. From March 2023 it is expected An increase in imports that should continue until half way summer, but remaining below last year's levels Year: In March 2023, total traffic is expected in import pairs to 1,74 million teu, in decrease of -25.9% on the March 2022, to April 2023 are expected 1,87 million teu (- 17.2%), the following month 1,92 million teu (- 19.7%), in June Two million teu (- 11.5%) and July 2,13 million teu (- 2.5%).