IANA: Intermodal volumes fell 7.4 percent in Q4

Total intermodal volumes dropped 7.4 percent year over year in fourth-quarter 2019, the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) reported yesterday.

During the quarter, domestic containers declined 2.7 percent to 1,958,649 units compared with Q4 2018; international shipments fell 9.1 percent to 2,195,684; and trailers plunged 21.4 percent to 292,513, according to IANA's Market Trends and Statistics report.

"We haven't seen full-year declines like these since the 2009 recession. Looser trucking capacity played a role on the domestic side of intermodal, while tariffs and tough comparisons to 2018 volumes affected international," said IANA President and Chief Executive Officer Joni Casey in a press release. "A comeback could be hastened by a number of factors, including further resolution to trade issues, but it's difficult to predict that timing."

The seven highest-density trade corridors, which collectively handled 67.7 percent of total volume, were down 7.2 percent in Q4. Two posted double-digit losses: the Midwest-Northwest fell 15.8 percent and the South Central-Southwest declined 13 percent.

Also, volumes were down 5.7 percent in the Midwest-Southwest trade corridor, 5.7 percent in  the Northeast-Midwest, 4.7 percent in Trans-Canada, 4.4 percent in the Intra-Southeast and 3.4 percent in the Southeast-Southwest.

Full-year 2019 results show that intermodal volume fell 4.1 percent to 18,146,095 units from 2018's level. Domestic containers were down 6.1 percent to 8,798,451; international shipments, down 2.2 percent to 9,347,644; and trailers, down 15 percent to 1,227,511.