Retail Import Volume Hits Lowest Level in 7 Years

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2009 -- Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports hit its lowest level in seven years in February as the number of containers dropped below the one million mark for the first time in half a decade, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight. Numbers began climbing again in March and April, but the one million mark won't be seen again before May, and imports will continue to see significant declines compared with last year at least through the summer.