Maritime trade between Germany and North America has apparently seen positive evolution over the past year despite some concerns over[ds_preview] new trade policy measures. For a genuine comparative analysis, the full-year results have been lacking so far. However, a promising trend is already traceable to the turnover figures for the first eight months of the year. According to German Seaport Operators Association ZDS, total cargo handling volume in North America-Germany traffic increased by 7.3% to 14.4 Mio.t. Containerized cargo, coal, crude oil and natural gas, agricultural products, ores, industrial rocks and minerals as well as chemical products were the dominant types of goods by weight. According to the ZDS, »structural change« is currently not becoming apparent.
Both imports and exports increased. The largest part is attributable to trade with the United States at 10.2 Mio.t, where growth totalled 8%. Canada traffic was boosted by 5.9% to a total of 4.2 Mio.t.
As a limitation, container turnover only increased in Canada trade (+ 5.2% to 225,000TEUs) while in the U.S. trade it dropped 2% to 906,000TEUs.
Next to Asia, the U.S. constitute a major market for German exports especially. Therefore, the U.S. developments are closely monitored between Ems and Oder. If some industry players should have raised concerns about the possible effects of the Trump administration’s »new« trade policy, this was apparently only partially justified.
»Basically, it may well be concluded that the changes in the U.S. political administration are not affecting the market. Although we registered changes on the lines to North America last year, these changes are rather owed to a reorganization of the shipping alliances than to Donald Trump,« ZDS Chief Executive Daniel Hosseus tells HANSA. The forecasts for foreign trade – both with the USA and Canada – are good. »It is the rhetoric of the U.S. President which is not helpful,« Hosseus says.
