Intermodal growth was solid in Q4, IANA says

All intermodal sectors recorded volume increases of at least 4.9 percent last year, and all regions registered traffic climbs during 2018, according to the Intermodal Association of North America's (IANA) "Market Trends & Statistics" report.

Intermodal volume posted a fourth-quarter 2018 gain of 4.2 percent year over year to 4.8 million units. Quarterly international intermodal volume rose 5.5 percent to 2.4 million containers; domestic containers grew 3.4 percent to 2 million units; and trailer loads dipped for the first time since 2016, falling 0.1 percent to 372,185 units, IANA officials said in the report.

"While we did see some year-end tapering, total volumes increased 5.6 percent [to 18.9 million units] for the year," said IANA President and Chief Executive Officer Joni Casey in a press release.

The seven highest-density trade corridors accounted for 62.6 percent of total volume and collectively rose 5.1 percent during the quarter.

By corridor, growth ranged from 13.1 percent in the Midwest-Northwest to 9.7 percent in the South Central-Southwest to 9.4 percent in the Intra-Southeast to 7 percent in the Southeast-Southwest. In addition, volume increased 5.7 percent in the Northeast-Midwest, 1 percent in the Southwest-Midwest and 0.9 percent in Trans-Canada.