US retailers rush to bring in products for holiday season ahead of schedule in case of disruption

US retailers are quickly introducing products for the summer holiday season. Photo taken in 2021 at the Port of Los Angeles. (2024 Reuters/Mike Blake/File photo)

[ニューヨーク ９日 ロイター] – US retailers are quickly introducing products for the summer holiday season. Experts say this is due to concerns about a shorter than normal trading season, shipping disruptions in the Red Sea and a strike by dockers.

According to Descartes Systems Group, the US imported 2.6 million 20-foot machines in July, an increase of 16.8% from the same month last year and the third highest monthly import number ever.

According to shipping information company Zeneta, the uncontracted spot rate for ships going from the Far East to the US West Coast rose 144% from the end of April to the beginning of July.

An increase in container imports and a sharp increase in freight rates indicate that shipping will peak earlier than usual. Analysts expect imports to peak in July for US retailers and to be at the same high level in August.

This year, Thanksgiving will be held later than usual on November 28, and there is a possibility of a port strike, so the move is being made to avoid uncertainty during the year-end sales season.

Negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Federation (USMX) have stalled, leading to strikes that could begin on October 1 at ports from Maine to Texas.

Reuters graphics

The large increase in container imports in the first half of the year is partly due to the US tariffs on exports from China and other countries that came into effect in the second half of the year.

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Lisa Baertlein covers the movement of goods around the world, with an emphasis on ocean transport and last mile delivery. In her free time, you can find her sailing, painting or exploring state and national parks.