Shipping between the United States and China in 2005 grew at a faster pace than between the U.S. and all world markets, with a dramatic widening of the trade imbalance between the two countries, according to The Colography Group’s annual analysis of air and ocean trade between the U.S. and 224 of its trading partners.

The Colography Group is a research, consulting, and publishing firm that specializes in market intelligence for transportation companies.

U.S. imports (by all modes) from China last year rose by 19.2 percent to 129.6 billion pounds, according to The Colography Group data. The value of those imports increased by 24.4 percent to $235.2 billion.

Total U.S. import tonnage on the other hand, including from China, rose by 4.2 percent.Import value increased 15.1 percent, largely due to the swell in petroleum prices.

The U.S. exported 74.2 billion pounds to China last year, up less than 2 percent from 2004.The value of those goods rose by 13 percent. Total U.S. exports, including China, reached 791.2 billion pounds, a 1.2 percent gain.The value of those goods rose just under 10 percent.

Ocean Trade
Nearly 128 billion pounds of Chinese exports arrived at U.S. ports last year, a 19 percent increase from 2004 levels.The value of seafreighted goods from China rose 21 percent to $180 billion.By contrast, U.S. ocean exports to China grew less than 2 percent to 73.9 billion pounds, and U.S. ocean export value grew by 16 percent to $23.4 billion.

The vessel trade imbalance with China had a direct impact on total directional flows.Last year, 2.2 trillion pounds valued at $889 billion were imported into the U.S. by sea, dwarfing the 785 billion pounds (valued at $261.8 billion) exported from the U.S. on the water.

Air Trade
Approximately 1.8 billion pounds—nearly 20 percent of all U.S.-bound air trade—originated in China last year, a 21 percent increase from 2004 levels.The value of those imports totaled $54.8 billion; 37 percent above 2004.

U.S. air exports to China grew in 2005, though at a much slower pace and at much lower levels than comparable imports from China.Tonnage grew 3 percent to 265.3 million pounds, while the value of those goods rose 8 percent to $11.0 billion.

From the U.S., 5.9 billion pounds of airfreight was exported globally in 2005, up 1.4 percent from 2004, according to The Colography Group. The value of those goods increased by 7.9 percent, reaching $254.3 billion.

Total U.S. air import tonnage was virtually flat year-over-year at 9.2 billion pounds.Air import value rose 8.5 percent to $375.9 billion.

Ted Scherck, President, The Colography Group, commented, “For each pound air shipped to China, about seven pounds were imported. For every dollar of air value exported to China, nearly five dollars was imported.In the ocean trade, imports from China swelled by more than 20 billion pounds, while exports, albeit off a smaller base, rose only by 1.4 billion pounds. The data quantifies the oft-stated belief the widening U.S. trade gap with China shows little signs of narrowing.”

Other findings include:

Air shipments in 2005 accounted for .75 percent of all U.S. export tonnage, essentially flat from 2004 levels.Air accounted for .42 percent of all U.S. import tonnage, down from .43 percent in 2004.
In 2005, the U.S. imported more vessel tonnage from Venezuela than from any other trading partner, highlighting the importance of petroleum products in the trade between the two nations.
China was the number one market for vessel value, both in terms of U.S. imports and exports.

Shipping between the United States and China in 2005 grew at a faster pace than between the U.S. and all world markets, with a dramatic widening of the trade imbalance between the two countries, according to The Colography Group’s annual analysis of air and ocean trade between the U.S. and 224 of its trading partners.

The Colography Group is a research, consulting, and publishing firm that specializes in market intelligence for transportation companies.

U.S. imports (by all modes) from China last year rose by 19.2 percent to 129.6 billion pounds, according to The Colography Group data. The value of those imports increased by 24.4 percent to $235.2 billion.

Total U.S. import tonnage on the other hand, including from China, rose by 4.2 percent.Import value increased 15.1 percent, largely due to the swell in petroleum prices.

The U.S. exported 74.2 billion pounds to China last year, up less than 2 percent from 2004.The value of those goods rose by 13 percent. Total U.S. exports, including China, reached 791.2 billion pounds, a 1.2 percent gain.The value of those goods rose just under 10 percent.

Ocean Trade
Nearly 128 billion pounds of Chinese exports arrived at U.S. ports last year, a 19 percent increase from 2004 levels.The value of seafreighted goods from China rose 21 percent to $180 billion.By contrast, U.S. ocean exports to China grew less than 2 percent to 73.9 billion pounds, and U.S. ocean export value grew by 16 percent to $23.4 billion.

The vessel trade imbalance with China had a direct impact on total directional flows.Last year, 2.2 trillion pounds valued at $889 billion were imported into the U.S. by sea, dwarfing the 785 billion pounds (valued at $261.8 billion) exported from the U.S. on the water.

Air Trade
Approximately 1.8 billion pounds—nearly 20 percent of all U.S.-bound air trade—originated in China last year, a 21 percent increase from 2004 levels.The value of those imports totaled $54.8 billion; 37 percent above 2004.

U.S. air exports to China grew in 2005, though at a much slower pace and at much lower levels than comparable imports from China.Tonnage grew 3 percent to 265.3 million pounds, while the value of those goods rose 8 percent to $11.0 billion.

From the U.S., 5.9 billion pounds of airfreight was exported globally in 2005, up 1.4 percent from 2004, according to The Colography Group. The value of those goods increased by 7.9 percent, reaching $254.3 billion.

Total U.S. air import tonnage was virtually flat year-over-year at 9.2 billion pounds.Air import value rose 8.5 percent to $375.9 billion.

Ted Scherck, President, The Colography Group, commented, “For each pound air shipped to China, about seven pounds were imported. For every dollar of air value exported to China, nearly five dollars was imported.In the ocean trade, imports from China swelled by more than 20 billion pounds, while exports, albeit off a smaller base, rose only by 1.4 billion pounds. The data quantifies the oft-stated belief the widening U.S. trade gap with China shows little signs of narrowing.”

Other findings include:

Air shipments in 2005 accounted for .75 percent of all U.S. export tonnage, essentially flat from 2004 levels.Air accounted for .42 percent of all U.S. import tonnage, down from .43 percent in 2004.
In 2005, the U.S. imported more vessel tonnage from Venezuela than from any other trading partner, highlighting the importance of petroleum products in the trade between the two nations.
China was the number one market for vessel value, both in terms of U.S. imports and exports.