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20 The Journal of Commerce | Februar y 3 2020 www.joc.com East Coast Ports Special Report SLOWING GLOBAL ECONOMIC growth and the US–China trade war dragged container cargo growth at US East Coast ports to its lowest level in three years during the first 11 months of 2019. Combined laden volumes for the 10 busiest ports on the US East Coast grew just 2.5 percent through November to 16.17 million TEU, a deceleration from the 5.1 percent increase seen during the same 2018 period and the slowest year-over-year growth rate since 2016, according to PIERS, a sister product of The Journal of Commerce within IHS Markit. Even so, East Coast ports — particularly the Port of Savannah — fared better than their West Coast counterparts, which saw total volumes tumble 9.4 percent to 15.12 million TEU after growing 3.8 percent in 2018. Year-to-date import growth US East Coast port growth drags to three-year low in 2019 By JOC Staff IMPORTS & EXPORTS Total import and export volume January-November 2019 (in laden TEU) 1 NY–NJ New York 29.7% 4,391,588 4,676,259 4,797,515 6.5% 2.6% 2 Savannah Georgia 20.8% 2,910,597 3,152,899 3,359,038 8.3% 6.5% 3 Norfolk Virginia 12.5% 2,009,087 1,995,635 2,023,992 -0.7% 1.4% 4 Charleston South Carolina 10.6% 1,584,346 1,626,732 1,716,192 2.7% 5.5% 5 Miami Florida 4.8% 704,081 733,096 774,687 4.1% 5.7% 6 Jacksonville Florida 4.7% 741,103 814,121 763,762 9.9% -6.2% 7 Baltimore Maryland 4.2% 644,301 660,788 683,097 2.6% 3.4% 8 Port Everglades Florida 4.1% 732,241 755,845 664,178 3.2% -12.1% 9 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 2.3% 332,402 349,923 364,758 5.3% 4.2% 10 Wilmington North Carolina 1.3% 160,344 215,007 218,149 34.1% 1.5% Total US East Coast Ports 14,994,191 15,766,247 16,168,191 5.1% 2.5% JOC TOP 10 US East Coast ports Source: IHS Markit © 2020 IHS Markit at the top 10 US East Coast ports slowed to 4.5 percent from 7.2 per- cent, while exports actually declined 0.6 percent after edging 2 percent higher in the first 11 months of 2018. The drop in exports also was the first for the ports since 2016. Six of the top 10 ports on the US East Coast reported lower growth rates during the period, with two of them registering year-over-year declines. The ports of Jacksonville and Port Everglades, Florida, saw their respective container volumes drop 6.2 percent to 763,762 TEU and 12.1 percent to 664,178 TEU. As a result, Jacksonville's volume was surpassed by that of PortMiami, which edged into fifth place on the list thanks to a 5.7 percent increase, and Port Everglades was overtaken by the Port of Baltimore, which grabbed the No 7 spot thanks to a 3.4 percent uptick. Import growth rates likewise slowed at six of the top 10 ports, but the only negative growth came at Port Everglades, which saw inbound volume plummet 16.2 percent to 288,939 TEU after registering a 2.5 percent increase during the first 11 months of 2018. Still growing Jan - Nov January - November Year-over-year % change 2019 2018 vs. 2019 vs. Rank US East Coast Port Location market share 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018