Top Portland, Maine Trading Partners

Top US Trading Partners

Portland, Maine’s trade increases 11.15 percent through March

Portland, Maine’s trade with the world rose to $4,183,379,817 through the first three months of 2012, according to a WorldCity analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. That’s 11.15 percent increases the Customs district’s total trade during the same time period last year. The district’s exports increased 11.51 percent while imports rose 11.02 percent.

Through March the district’s top trade partners were No. 1 Canada, No. 2 France, No. 3 United Kingdom, No. 4 Ireland and No. 5 Netherlands. Through the first three months of the last year, top five spots were held by Canada, France, Turkey, United Kingdom and Algeria, respectively.

Taking a closer look at the leading trade partners with Portland, Maine:

• No.1 Canada’s trade rose 4.52 percent to $2,663,288,445.
  Exports rose 11.28 percent to $757,283,342. Imports rose 2.06 percent to $1,906,005,103.
• No.2 France’s trade rose 45.91 percent to $324,984,038.
  Exports rose 441.09 percent to $22,998,798. Imports rose 38.22 percent to $301,985,240.
• No.3 United Kingdom’s trade rose 136.37 percent to $232,826,218.
  Exports rose 300.83 percent to $95,584,174. Imports rose 83.83 percent to $137,242,044.
• No.4 Ireland’s trade rose 462.04 percent to $165,700,663.
  Exports fell -94.64 percent to $138,424. Imports rose 515.44 percent to $165,562,239.
• No.5 Netherlands’s trade rose 226.54 percent to $141,529,738.
  Exports rose 110.67 percent to $4,229,046. Imports rose 232.17 percent to $137,300,692.

Portland, Maine’s top five trading partners through March accounted for 84.34 percent of its trade with the world. The U.S. average for the same period was 52.49 percent.

Portland, Maine had trade surpluses with 36 countries and deficits with 47 through March. That compares with 37 surpluses and 50 deficits for the same period one year earlier. The top three surpluses through March of this year were with Turkey, $42,600,814; South Korea, $20,952,335; and Egypt, $16,840,710. The top three deficits were with Canada ($1,148,721,761), France ($278,986,442) and Ireland ($165,423,815).

Meanwhile, total U.S. trade increased to $934,379,177,983, up 8.63 percent compared to the same period last year. The nation’s exports climbed 3.54 percent to $30,467,217,700 as imports rose 5.09 percent to $43,800,507,934. The nation’s top five trade districts so far this year, by value, are New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Detroit and Laredo. The overall trade deficit was $-171,264,242,143, up compared to the same period of last year when the deficit was $-157,930,951,909.

Portland, Maine’s top five exports by value through March were aircraft; bombs, grenades, cartridges, parts; wood in the rough, stripped or not of sapwood, etc; oil, not crude; and chemical woodpulp, not dissolving grade, in that order. Those accounted for 38.36 percent of its total outbound trade. The value of the district’s top five imports, oil, not crude, imports of returned exports, aircraft and petroleum gases, other gaseous hydrocarbonslive crustaceans and , accounted for 66.33 percent of all inbound shipments.

Looking more closely at Portland, Maine exports:

• Aircraft rose 14.88 percent compared to last year to $221,349,404.
• Bombs, grenades, cartridges, parts rose 1,173.83 percent compared to last year to $83,120,925.
• Wood in the rough, stripped or not of sapwood, etc rose 9.95 percent compared to last year to $53,999,124.
• Oil, not crude rose 147.00 percent compared to last year to $45,210,448.
• Chemical woodpulp, not dissolving grade fell -32.79 percent compared to last year to $42,473,203.

On the import side:

• Oil, not crude rose 14.98 percent compared to last year to $1,053,548,527.
• Imports of returned exports rose 81.80 percent compared to last year to $369,231,834.
• Aircraft rose 4.66 percent compared to last year to $303,542,885.
• Petroleum gases, other gaseous hydrocarbons fell -43.33 percent compared to last year to $171,864,662.
• Live crustaceans rose 8.19 percent compared to last year to $105,268,031.

Last year the Portland, Maine district posted total trade with the world of $16,828,849,066. The district’s deficit was $-7,515,328,086. At year end, the region’s top five partners were Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom and China. Exports totaled $4,656,760,490 and imports came to $12,172,088,576.