The pace of containerized import activity at the Port of New York and New Jersey outperformed the national average in June, according to the Newark-based Journal of Commerce.
Nationally, containerized import shipments fell 1.7 percent in June, compared to the year-ago period, while local port only declined 1 percent, according to the Journal of Commerce.
“Struggles in the U.S. housing market continue to stifle imports of key household-related goods, and these goods are falling more markedly now than during the first quarter,” said Journal of Commerce economist Mario O. Moreno.
He said a 15 percent decline in toy imports and a 4 percent falloff in apparel imports also dragged down the numbers.
The national year-over-year drop stemmed from a 9 percent decline in furniture imports and a 21 percent decline in sheets, towels and blanket imports, according to the Journal of Commerce.
But a Port Newark Container Terminal executive said his company’s volume did not fall in June, compared to last year, as “our cargo is less discretionary than most ports,” said Scott Schoenfeld, chief operating officer, in an e-mail.
He noted the port’s activity is tied to the major metropolitan economy, instead of to far-off, smaller municipalities.
