Trade Volumes Down

A very interesting read over at the LA Times: Here're the opening lines:

Trade at international ports is on track to drop more than 10% this year,
one of the steepest declines ever, according to a new maritime industry
report.

Cargo ships will carry 27 million fewer containers by year's end than they
did in 2008 -- a reduction roughly equivalent to all of the cargo containers
handled by the five busiest U.S. seaports in a typical year, according to
London-based Drewry Shipping Consultants' Container Forecaster Report.