US container imports posted robust growth in April 2025, with volumes increasing by 1.2 per cent over March and 9.1 per cent year-on-year, according to Descartes’ May Global Shipping Report.
Total imports surpassed 2.4 million TEUs for the second time this year, reflecting continued strength in the face of ongoing trade and geopolitical challenges.
Descartes reports that the top West Coast ports regained market share from the East and Gulf Coast ports in April, reversing a trend seen in March.
Despite the higher volumes, overall port transit time delays decreased significantly compared to March and are now at their lowest since Descartes began tracking the metric in 2021.
Imports from China rose by 5.4 per cent over March and 6.2 per cent compared to April 2024, accounting for 33.4 per cent of total US inbound container volume. Descartes attributes this growth in part to importers pulling shipments forward ahead of new US tariffs, particularly the 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods implemented on 9 April.
“Since the new elevated tariffs do not apply to goods already in transit when the tariffs were implemented, the tariff impact may be reflected more significantly in May container import volumes,” said Jackson Wood, Director, Industry Strategy at Descartes.
Imports from the top 10 countries of origin increased by 2.8 per cent in April, with notable gains from Italy (up 9.7 per cent), Vietnam (up 6.2 per cent), and Thailand (up 3.6 per cent). China saw the largest volume increase, while Germany and India posted the largest declines among the top ten trading partners.
Cumulatively, US container imports for the first four months of 2025 were up 8.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
Descartes warned that, despite the positive performance, volatile global trade conditions persist, with evolving US trade policies, retaliatory measures from trading partners, and instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe contributing to ongoing supply chain risks.
In recent news, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has expressed opposition to a proposed 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-manufactured ship-to-shore (STS) cranes under consideration by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
