US container imports are forecast to stay below 2025 volumes through the first half of 2026 amid ongoing tariff uncertainty, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, with the impact of the conflict in Iran still unclear.
US ports tracked by GPT handled 2.08 million TEUs in January, up 3.8 per cent from December but down 6.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
The ports of New York/New Jersey and Miami have not yet reported their figures. February volumes have yet to be reported, but GPT forecasts 2.01 million TEUs, down 1.3 per cent YoY.
READ: US container imports fall nearly 10 per cent in May
March is projected at 1.91 million TEUs, down 11.2 per cent; April at 2.03 million TEUs, down 8.1 per cent; May at 2.09 million TEUs, up 7 per cent; June at 2.1 million TEUs, up 6.8 per cent; and July at 2.2 million TEUs, down 8 per cent.
If achieved, first-half 2026 throughput would reach 12.21 million TEUs, down 2.5 per cent from 12.53 million TEUs in the same period of 2025.
The May and June increases compared with 2025 reflect the sharp drop in imports in those months last year following the announcement of “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025.
