International container volume in North America increased 3.9 percent during the second quarter, marking the best quarterly results in a year, according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s (IANA) “Intermodal Market Trends and Statistics Report” issued last month.

In absolute terms, the quarter also served as the international segment’s highest second quarter since 2008, IANA officials said in a prepared statement. U.S. container volumes picked up nearly 4 percent during the quarter, with increases near 3 percent on the West Coast and 5 percent on the East Coast.

In comparison, Canadian container import volumes continued to make great strides, particularly on the West Coast, where imports through the ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver posted nearly 20 percent year-over-year gains in the quarter.