![\"NRF](\"http:\/\/www.findadistributor.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Screen-Shot-2016-11-16-at-08.16.27.png\")
NRF is the world\u2019s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries.<\/p><\/div>\n
The numbers come as NRF is forecasting $655.8 billion in holiday sales, a 3.6% increase over last year. Cargo volume does not correlate directly to sales because only the number of containers is counted, not the value of the cargo inside. But it nonetheless serves as a barometer of retailers\u2019 expectations.<\/p>\n
Cargo volume for 2016 is expected to total 18.6 million TEU, up 2.2% from last year. Total volume for 2015 was 18.2 million TEU, up 5.4% from 2014. The first half of 2016 totaled 9 million TEU, up 1.6% from the same period in 2015.<\/p>\n
January 2017 is forecast at 1.54 million TEU, up 3.6% from January 2016; February at 1.49 million TEU, down 3.2% from last year, and March at 1.38 million TEU, up 4.6% from last year.<\/p>\n
Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said U.S. imports are growing, but not as fast as in past years.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite all the good economic news recently, we are faced with imports growing only about 2 percent this year,\u201d Hackett said. \u201cWhether that is merely part of the aftermath of the Hanjin bankruptcy or a sign of weakening demand is not yet clear. Unless there is a major disruption, however, growth should be modest but sustained during the first half of 2017.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"