IANA reports record intermodal volume in 3rd quarter
Intermodal volume increased 4.9 percent in the third quarter to set a new record of 3.69 million loads, compared to 3.53 million shipments in the same quarter last year, according to Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics, a quarterly publication of the Intermodal Association of North America.
The third quarter intermodal loads topped the previous record of 3.58 million set in the second quarter this year, IANA said.
The increase, led by an 8.6 percent rise in international traffic that was spurred by the continued rise in Asian imports, marked the 18th consecutive quarter of growth, and included an all-time monthly high of 1.3 million shipments in August.
The fastest international growth of 20 percent was recorded in the Southwest region, which includes California.
Domestic container traffic increased 3.1 percent in the quarter, helped by growth in the Midwest. Trailer traffic declined 5 percent, “reflecting a continuing shift of domestic freight to containers.” Total domestic volume fell 0.5 percent, “hurt by a decline in manufacturing.”
Combined international and domestic traffic rose in seven of the nine IANA regions, with the Southwest leading the growth at 12 percent.
“International intermodal has topped last year’s October peak every month since June,” according to the report. “This demonstrates both the enduring strength of container imports and shippers moving freight earlier in the year.”