Hanoi (VNA) – Total shipping volume from members of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) increased in 2020, pushing itsglobal share above the 20 percent mark for the first time and making itspresence felt in the US-bound marine transportation market, reported NikkeiAsia Review.
In contrast, the share of shipping originating in China, which isthe highest globally, has decreased for two straight years.
As the US-China trade tension simmered, the COVID-19 pandemic hitthe global economy. The latest trends in US-bound marine transport, which alsoshowed increased Vietnamese furniture exports, indicate a stay-at-home USlifestyle.
These trends have been revealed by the Japan Maritime Centre,which tallied US-bound transportation from 18 Asian countries and regions. Thefigures show a notable increase in shipping from ASEAN, including Singapore andseven other countries.
The volume reached 4.01 million units, based on the capacity of astandard 20-foot container, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.1percent and exceeding the 4 million mark for the first time, with ASEAN's shareincreasing 2.3 percentage points to 21.9 percent.
In particular, Vietnam, which contained infections relativelyearly, increased its presence, the article added.
The US-bound volume originating in Vietnam increased 24.8 percentto 1.99 million units, posting a share of 10.8 percent, up 1.8 percentagepoints from a year earlier.
The share expansion of the ASEAN region was driven also by thehomebound lifestyle in the US.
ASEAN's US-bound shipping volume of furniture increased 13.1percent and 29.4 percent for home electronics from a year earlier. This helpedboost the volume departing from Vietnam, which has many furniture andsmartphone plants./.