Container Trade To Grow at a Healthy Rate

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LONG BEACH, CA-Trans-Pacific eastbound and westbound container trade is forecasted to grow at a healthy rate of 9.1% in 2011, versus 10.4% in 2010, despite continuing economic challenges in the US and global economy. So said experts and analysts at the 11^th Annual Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference held March 7 and 8 at the Long Beach Convention Center. While still eluding peak volumes of 2007, eastbound trade is expected to increase 8.2% to 13.5 million TEUs and westbound trade growth will accelerate to 11%, from 4.3% in 2010, to 6.9 million TEUs.

More than 1,700 attendees, executives, and analysts attended the event, which took place against a backdrop of the aftershocks of the 2009 and 2010 earthquake that shook container shipping and logistics to its very foundations. The morning panel pointed out that the US economy will continue to expand in 2011 as consumers increase spending by 3.2%, after growing by an estimated 2.9% in 2010.