In June 2025, U.S. container import volumes showed signs of recovery, following a significant drop in May. Data from Descartes indicated a 1.8% increase in container imports, reaching 2,217,675 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), narrowing the year-over-year decline to 3.5%. This upward trend suggests U.S. importers are adjusting their supply chains amid ongoing tariff and policy shifts, with year-to-date import volumes standing 3.8% higher than 2024 levels.
Read also: U.S. Container Import Volumes Rebound Modestly in June but China Volumes Remain Depressed
The dynamics at U.S. ports revealed a shift, as major West Coast ports regained their footing. The Port of Los Angeles reported a remarkable 29.1% surge in volume, adding 103,884 TEUs, while Long Beach experienced an 18.8% rise, contributing an additional 58,492 TEUs. Tacoma’s performance was notable, with a 33.3% increase in volume, underscoring the West Coast’s strong performance. On the contrary, East and Gulf Coast ports faced declines, with Savannah’s volumes dropping by 16.9% and Houston experiencing a 15.8% decrease. Overall, the top 10 U.S. ports managed a combined volume increase of 3.1% month-over-month.
Despite a minor month-over-month increase of 0.4% to 639,300 TEUs, U.S. imports from China were down 28.3% from June 2024, influenced by ongoing tariffs and the rollback of the de minimis exemption. Import categories such as furniture and plastics saw significant year-over-year declines. With China-origin imports making up only 28.8% of total U.S. imports, the lowest in four years, importers are diversifying their sources, increasingly turning to Southeast Asia. Vietnam, for instance, boosted its export volumes to the U.S. by 7.7% over May, reflecting a shift in sourcing strategies.
Port delays improved significantly in June, particularly at key West Coast ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach, which saw reductions in congestion by 2.1 and 3.3 days, respectively. This improvement points to an easing of the bottlenecks that were prevalent in May. East and Gulf Coast ports, while showing smaller gains, remained stable with minimal changes in transit times.
As of July 2025, the U.S.-China trade relationship is under a temporary truce, with a framework agreement in development following May’s tariff reduction to 30%, down from 145%. However, looming deadlines in July and August could reignite tensions if unresolved disputes continue. Meanwhile, disruptions in the Red Sea, caused by Houthi attacks on shipping and Iran-Israel conflicts, persist in affecting global shipping routes, forcing carriers to reroute vessels, leading to increased costs and extended transit times.