Retailers’ Early US back-to-school Sales Hasten Peak Shipping Season and Shipping Rates Surge 运价又涨！美国零售商提前促销加速了海运旺季的到来！

The Launch of U.S. back-to-school Promotions Spurs a Premature Surge in the Shipping Season

美开学促销战开打 海运旺季提前

In a bid to rival Amazon's Prime Day, U.S. retailers have moved up their back-to-school promotions. Their stockpiling demands have facilitated an early surge in container shipping volume and a subsequent hike in shipping rates as these retailers represent approximately half of the U.S. container import market.

为了不让亚马逊(Amazon)Prime Day购物节专美于前，美国零售商纷纷提前开打返校促销活动，在备货需求带动下，货柜海运旺季也提早来到，零售商约占美国集装箱进口量的一半，从而引发了运价进一步加高。

According to Reuters, with over a month until schools reopen, major retailers like Walmart (WMT.US) and Target (TGT.US) have started their back-to-school sales early to stop Amazon.com's Prime Day event held on July 16-17 from siphoning U.S. sales. This early stockpiling has brought the peak shipping season forward by two months this year, starting July instead of the usual September.

路透社报导，距离美国各学校开学还有一个多月的时间，包括Walmart(WMT.US)、Target(TGT.US)等零售巨头已提前展开促销战争，确保商机不被亚马逊7月16-17日Prime Day会员购物节抢走。受惠于提前拉货潮，今年7月航运市场已迎来旺季，比往年提早两个月报到。

Nike, a leading sportswear brand, has also adjusted its inventory replenishment schedule in response to the early start of the back-to-school shopping season. Originally planned for June to August, the restocking has been moved up to March to May. Additionally, industry experts observe that escalating tariffs on Chinese semiconductors and EV batteries, effective from August 1st, have contributed to a surge in pre-tariff orders from U.S. companies.

运动品牌龙头Nike(NKE.US)高层表示，因应返校购物季备货提前启动，原预计6月至8月补足库存，提前自3月至5月开始拉货。另外，产业专家观察，由于美国政府宣布对中国半导体及电动车电池加征关税，自8月1日起生效，也促使美国企业积极下单囤货，浮现急单效应。

As the momentum for cargo pickup intensifies, the freight rate for shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to the U.S. East Coast has soared to nearly $10,000, more than double the rate in February.

随着拉货动能增温，上海到美东每40呎柜运价冲上近1万美元，与2月相比飙涨一倍之多。

The Suez Canal Blockage and the Early Halloween Season Prompted Early Shipments

苏伊士运河中断和7月万圣节，也导致了货物的提前运输

Since late last year, transportation times have been longer than usual due to disruptions. Ships are forced to take longer routes around Africa as the Houthis have been attacking trade routes near the Suez Canal since December. Worse still, the Red Sea disruption has extended from the heavily impacted Far East and Europe trade routes to the entire global network.

自去年年底以来，货物的运输时间比正常情况要早，胡塞叛乱分子从去年12月以来在苏伊士运河附近的贸易捷径袭击迫使货船在非洲周围走更长的路线。红海中断已经从遭受重创的远东和欧洲贸易路线蔓延到其整个全球网络。

In May, U.S. container imports increased by 11.9% year-over-year, followed by a 10.4% rise in June. These increases are attributed to major retailers scheduling back-to-school sales early to compete with Amazon's Prime Day, the largest ever event of its kind. In response to it, Amazon required its sellers to complete inventory for the sale at least a month in advance.

5月份美国集装箱进口量同比增长11.9%，6月份同比增长10.4%，这些增长是在主要零售商提前安排返校销售以对抗亚马逊本周周二和周三的Prime Day活动，这是有史以来规模最大的活动。亚马逊要求其卖家至少提前一个月为销售活动完成库存。

“We're now seeing the flow of autumn fashionable products, Halloween holiday season goods in the supply chain,” remarked Gene Seroka, the Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, the most active port in the country. He forecasts a strong influx of imports for the month of July evidenced by the fact that 63 ships are on their way to the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex, which is more than the usual 52 to 55.

“现在我们看到秋季时尚、万圣节和年终假日产品在供应链中移动，”洛杉矶全美最繁忙的海港执行董事吉恩·塞罗卡（Gene Seroka）说。Seroka预计7月份的进口量将强劲，并指出有63艘船正在前往洛杉矶和长滩港口综合体的途中，而通常为52至55艘。