U.S. ports expect coronavirus to hit Q1 cargo volumes

The global economic impact to the port and maritime industry from the coronavirus outbreak is "significant and growing," American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) officials said in a statement issued late last week.

"Due to the coronavirus outbreak, cargo volumes at many U.S. ports during the first-quarter of 2020 may be down by 20 percent compared to 2019," said Chris Connor, AAPA president and chief executive officer.

However, the "human impacts" of the virus are port officials' greatest concern, AAPA officials said. U.S. ports are following instructions and protocols from federal agencies to quickly respond to the coronavirus threat.

"Since ports are a nation’s first line of defense against threats ranging from terrorism to pathogens, they take their role seriously about protecting the safety and well-being of their communities," they said.