$45

44%

That is the TEU capacity of the container ship MSC Mia, which currently holds the joint record as the world's largest container vessel. That ship, as well as the 23,656 TEU MSC Nela, will be soon making their first journeys into US west coast ports. Why? To deliver fresh supplies of empty containers, the lack of which have been constraining US exports of agricultural and other products and other Asian destinations. The supply of empties has shrunk dramatically, as there has been a big drop in imports from China due to curtailed production as a result of the coronavirus. With fewer full containers coming in, there are fewer empties to come back out. However, "This container imbalance is however expected to be short-lived as Chinese exports are picking up again," the maritime analysts at Alphaliner predicted, adding: "Volumes might even peak in April, as European and US importers will sooner or later have to replenish their stocks of products made in China."

6.1%

That was the drop in US per mile truckload rates in February before any fuel surcharge or accessorials, according to the latest Linehaul Index from Cass Information Systems. That was actually not quite as bad as the 6.3% drop seen in January, but the measure is likely to see a steep drop in March as the coronavirus crisis pounds the economy. In fact, per mile rates have been falling year-over-year almost every month since late 2018. In the report from Cass partner Stifel, analysis David Ross notes that "At the Stifel Transportation & Logistics Conference last month, the common outlook from industry executives was that supply and demand should find equilibrium around mid-year, at which point spot rates should resume their premium to contract rates and give contract rates room to rise again in 2021." But that was before coronavirus, which will certainly decrease demand substantially.