IN the third quarter of 2023, major US west coast ports saw a substantial 26 per cent year-on-year decline in the average call size, as reported by S&P Global Ratings in its quarterly analysis of container port performance across key US, Chinese and Southeast Asian ports, reports London's Port Technology.

S&P highlighted a decrease in container movements on ocean-going ships across all regions in the United States. However, the diminished demand and call size improved operational performance throughout the country.

During Q3 2023, Gulf ports witnessed a remarkable increase of over 66 per cent year on year in port-moves-per-hour (PMPH), a critical metric reflecting port productivity.

Major east coast ports experienced an even more substantial boost, with PMPH rising 90 per cent year on year.

S&P also reported an uptick in yard productivity in the US, specifically noting that west coast ports achieved a 30 per cent reduction in median import container dwell time and a 45 per cent reduction in export container dwell time.

Furthermore, ship waiting times continued to decrease across all US coastlines, with east coast ports leading the way with a significant 78 per cent year-on-year decrease.