U.S. Container Imports Hit Historic High: 262.2M TEU in July 2025
Publish Time: 2025-08-18 Origin: Site
Key Data (Descartes):
July 2025 U.S. imports surged to 262.2M TEU—2nd highest ever**, just 555 TEU shy of May 2022’s record.
MoM growth: +18.2% (vs. June 2025)
YoY growth: +2.6%
Drivers of the Boom:
"Tariff Truce Rush": Preemptive shipments before Trump’s extended China tariff pause (expires Nov 10).
Seasonal Demand: Early holiday inventory buildup.
China-U.S. Trade Highlights:
China remains #1 source (35.2% of total U.S. imports), but share down from 41.5% in Feb 2022.
July 2025 imports from China: 923K TEU (+44.4% MoM), highest since January.
Still 9.8% below July 2024’s peak (1.023M TEU).
Port Performance:
East/Gulf Ports Outpace West Coast:
1?? Houston: +122% MoM (top growth)
2?? Savannah: +90.2%
3?? NY/NJ: +69.5%
4?? Charleston: +78.9%
West Coast Rebound (but slower):
LA: +33.6%
Long Beach: +26.7%
Tacoma/Seattle: +10-14%
Action Steps for Shippers:
? Lock in rates early: Expect capacity pressure through Q3.
? Monitor port congestion: East Coast gains may strain infrastructure.
? Verify tariff status: Confirm HS codes for post-Nov 10 shipments.