Container import roller coaster: down, up, down... up?

The numbers plunged after the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. They briefly bounced back when delayed bookings were loaded after China came back online. Then they sank again after social-distancing rules shut down U.S. businesses and container carriers “blanked” (canceled) sailings.

Now, it looks like there could be at least some momentum in the positive direction, which might mean that container lines that blanked around 20% of inbound capacity in May and June could cancel fewer sailings starting in July.

Some importers may be concluding that they actually pulled back too much on cargo orders in light of renewed demand after states began reopening. As a result, carriers may have overshot a bit with their U.S.-bound cancellations.