U.S. intermodal volume reaches record in Q4
Total U.S. intermodal volume rose 14.7 percent in 2010, though growth slowed in the fourth quarter, according to the latest statistics released by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).
Volume in 2010 reached 13.3 million units, while fourth quarter volume rose 12.8 percent to 3.5 million units. For the year, international volume grew 18.5 percent to 7.2 million containers, while domestic container volume grew 13.3 percent to 4.5 million. Fourth quarter international volume grew 16.9 percent.
Total domestic volume during the quarter was the highest ever recorded by IANA, topping 1.6 million loads and helping make 2010 the best growth year for overall domestic business since IANA started reporting intermodal statistics, the association said.
Domestic containers grew 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter, ending the year 13.3 percent above 2009 figures. This increase followed a 7 percent gain in 2008 and 2.9 percent growth in 2009.
Unlike international volumes, domestic container volumes never declined during the recession.
Meanwhile, the American Association of Railroads said January intermodal traffic increased 7.4 percent to 863,099 trailers and containers, and carloads increased 8 percent to 1.14 million compared to the same period a year ago.
Overall, 15 of 20 commodity categories saw carload gains on U.S. railroads in January compared with January 2010. Traffic gains in January were led by metallic ores up 63 percent; primary metal products, 21 percent; and crushed stone, sand and gravel, 16.2 percent.
The continued improvement in traffic is another indicator of the economy's gradual recovery from the depths of 2008 and 2009.
Railroads in January also saw growth in the transportation of chemicals and grain. U.S. railroads originated 120,734 carloads of chemicals in January, averaging 30,184 carloads per week, up 5.9 percent compared with January 2010 and the highest monthly average for chemicals in any January since AAR began tracking commodity traffic. Grain averaged 24,514 weekly, up 10 percent compared from a year ago.
The five commodity categories seeing declines for the month — grain mill products, primary forest products, coke, nonmetallic minerals, and waste and non-ferrous scrap — together accounted for less than 8 percent of total carloads for the month.