US container imports remain elevated in August amid trade uncertainty

Imports from China eased to 869,523 TEUs in August, down 5.8 per cent from July and 10.8 per cent below August 2024. Overall, the August update of the logistics metrics monitored by Descartes suggested that, while global supply chains continue to grapple with ongoing geopolitical disruptions, trade policy developments are also creating sustained trade uncertainty.

At 2,519,722 TEUs, August 2025 volumes eclipsed the 2.4 million threshold that has historically created pressure on maritime infrastructure. It’s the second consecutive month of elevated volumes, the second-highest monthly total this year, and is only narrowly below the record level 2,622,465 TEUs set in May 2022. While volumes are consistent with seasonal levels in August, they also underscore the probable sensitivity of US importers to ongoing tariff timing. For the first eight months of the year, volumes are tracking 3.3 per cent ahead of the same period in 2024, reinforcing the longer-term trend of resilient demand despite policy uncertainty.

After spiking in July, August US containerised imports from the top 10 countries of origin (CoOs) fell 4.4 per cent month-over-month, posting an overall decline of 83,296 TEUs. The decrease was led by China, down 53,552 TEUs (5.8 per cent), with notable declines from South Korea (11.8 per cent), Japan (14.5 per cent), and Taiwan (12.9 per cent). Smaller drops from Vietnam (0.5 per cent), Hong Kong (1.4 per cent), Thailand (0.6 per cent), and Germany (1.3 per cent) added to the softening of volumes. Offsetting gains were limited to Indonesia (5.3 per cent) and India (1.7 per cent).

“A second consecutive month of elevated container imports continues to call attention to the combined impact of US tariff policy and seasonality on maritime trade, even as volumes from China declined,” said Jackson Wood, director of industry strategy at Descartes. “While overall demand has remained resilient in the face of ongoing tariff volatility and geopolitical disruption, key tariff measures are now under legal challenge and headed to the Supreme Court, leaving US importers to grapple with continued uncertainty as they weigh supply chain risks and mitigation efforts.”

ALCHEMPro News Desk (RR)