Major U.S. West Coast ports have collectively seen container volumes on a year-over-year basis decline by more than double the amount seen at U.S. East Coast ports for the first five months of 2020.
This is largely due to their strong ties with China, which was the first economy to be impacted by COVID-19.
BlueWater Reporting’s latest report, “U.S. West Coast ports’ strong China ties bog down box volumes,” looks at the strong correlation between weaker port volumes and stronger container shipping ties with China.
Ports with the strongest container shipping connectivity with China, which include the Port of Los Angeles and the Northwest Seaport Alliance, saw the largest year-over-year declines in container volumes for the first five months of 2020 and even for the month of May alone.