The massive earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan last week shouldn't significantly impact trans-Pacific container shipments. According to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data, only one service connects any ports significantly affected by the disasters to North America, the Grand Alliance's SCX. Ironically, Grand Alliance carriers announced one day before the earthquake that the Sendai call would switch out of the SCX to their relaunched JCX service in mid-May -- that call is surely in doubt given the wreckage at Sendai, the nearest large city to the epicenter.
Most of Japan's largest containers gateways are actually found in the southern half of the country, with Tokyo (the country's busiest) also the northernmost significant container port.
