Intermodal Traffic Plunges in 4Q
Intermodal international container volume fell 11.1% in the fourth quarter of last year, the seventh straight quarterly decline, the Intermodal Association of North America reported.
International container traffic fell to 1.79 million units, down from 2.02 million a year earlier, IANA said late Friday. Trailer traffic fell 12.9%, to 491,128 units.
Domestic container traffic rose 4.4% to 980,634 units, while total domestic equipment fell 2.1% to 1.47 million, the group said.
This quarterly loss contributed to the largest year-over-year drop of intermodal loadings — a 7.2% downturn — since IANA began keeping quarterly records in 1998.
For the full year, international container traffic fell 7% to 7.75 million units, while trailers fell 4% to 2.06 million units.
Domestic containers rose 7% to 3.85 million for the year, while overall domestic equipment rose 2.9% to 5.91 million units.
Overall intermodal loadings fell 3% for the full year.
