US container import volumes reached their second-highest level on record in July 2025, highlighting significant momentum across global supply chains.
According to the latest Global Shipping Report from Descartes Systems Group, US container imports in July amounted to 2.62 million TEUs, marking an 18.2 per cent increase over June and up 2.6 per cent compared to July 2024.
This rebound follows slower import activity in May and June and comes within just 555 TEUs of the record set in May 2022.
Descartes analysts note that these numbers reflect not only the usual seasonal summer surge, but also evidence of importers frontloading shipments ahead of anticipated tariff and trade policy changes.
Imports from China saw a striking jump to 923,075 TEUs – a 44.4 per cent rise month-on-month (MoM) and the highest single-month volume in 2025 to date.
China’s share of total US imports climbed to 35.2 per cent, its highest since February, while Hong Kong imports rose by 47.8 per cent, indicating a broader resurgence in shipments from Asia.
READ: China-US container imports fall to four-year low
Overall, import volumes from the top 10 countries of origin increased by 25.4 per cent over June.
Despite intensified activity, port transit delays at major US gateways increased only modestly last month. Infrastructure and operational resiliency remained strong even as volumes approached peak levels, with West Coast ports leading in market share for a second consecutive month.
The Descartes report also underscores persistent trade uncertainty as US shippers navigate ongoing geopolitical disruptions and the rollout of new tariff measures.
Following two months of uneven performance, July’s surge in container imports underscores the impact of US tariff policies, not just seasonal demand cycles, on container volumes,” commented Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes.
He warns that the landscape remains volatile, with reciprocal duties affecting over 60 countries from August, additional tariffs targeting India and copper, and the expiry of the US–China tariff truce looming in October.
Comparing July 2025 with pre-pandemic levels, total volumes are up 19.3 per cent over July 2019, and cumulative TEUs for January through July are running 3.6 per cent ahead of last year.
The US is preparing to introduce new port entry fees for Chinese-owned, operated, and built vessels from 14 October 2025. Established by the US Trade Representative, the charges – starting at $50 per net tonne and rising to $140 by 2028 – target vessels with Chinese associations and are set to impact global shipping patterns while backing US maritime priorities.
