U.S. air trade: imports -32.1% & exports -10.4% in November 2008

AMSTERDAM, January 19 (World ACD) – U.S. air imports, having exhibited a seven-year low growth of -23.4% in October 2008, surpassed this mark in November, with a decline of 32.1% compared to the same month in the previous year.

From China, the largest exporting country to the US, 35.2% less tonnage was moved by air to the US. Imports from other large exporters to the US, Japan, France and Germany, also suffered greatly with growth declines of 39.3%, 35.3% and 33.9% respectively. Air imports from Mexico, Malaysia and Sweden declined by a striking average of 52%.

On a regional level in the US, the areas that were hardest hit in November – Dallas, Los Angeles and Cleveland – all experienced negative import growth of around 39%.

With a 10.4% decline compared to the same month in the previous year, U.S. air exports reached a six-year low growth rate.

Volumes to the three largest receivers of U.S. air imports, the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada, declined by 18.8%, 14.3% and 19.4% respectively. U.S. air exports to Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia dropped by 50.7%, 26.8% and 19.5%.

With a 35.7% drop in air exports, the Detroit area was the hardest hit area, which was mainly caused by a drop in its air exports of vehicles & parts of 60.9%. The three largest air exporting areas in the U.S. – New York, Chicago and Los Angeles – experienced declines of 10.9%, 10.7% and 6.5% in November.