Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, has released its August Global Shipping Report for logistics and supply chain professionals.
In July 2025, U.S. container import volumes surged to 2,621,910 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 18.2% from June. Imports from China rose to 923,075 TEUs—a 44.4% month-over-month increase and the highest level since January 2025.
For the second consecutive month, the top West Coast ports maintained a lead in market share over East and Gulf Coast ports. Port transit delays increased only modestly in July, indicating that infrastructure handled elevated volumes effectively. However, ongoing geopolitical disruptions and trade policy developments continue to create uncertainty for global supply chains.
Key Findings
July volumes: 2,621,910 TEUs – up 18.2% from June and 2.6% from July 2024.
Near-record high: Just 555 TEUs below the all-time record of May 2022.
Pre-pandemic comparison: Up 19.3% compared to July 2019.
Year-to-date growth: Total TEUs through July are 3.6% higher than the same period in 2024.
This surge follows slower activity in May and June and is consistent with the seasonal peak in ocean shipping observed over the last nine years. The increase also likely reflects tariff-driven frontloading by U.S. importers ahead of upcoming trade policy changes.
Country of Origin Trends
July imports from the top 10 countries of origin rose 25.4% month-over-month.
China: Up 283,775 TEUs (44.4% increase), reaching 35.2% of total U.S. imports.
Hong Kong: Up 25,185 TEUs (47.8% increase).
These widespread increases point to a resurgence in Asia-origin shipments among U.S. importers.
Industry Insight
“Following two months of uneven performance, July’s surge in container imports underscores the impact of U.S. tariff policies, not just seasonal demand cycles, on container volumes,” said Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes.
“Trade uncertainty remains high as U.S. importers evaluate their supply chains in the face of the August 1 implementation of reciprocal duties on over 60 countries, the August 7 start of India-specific tariffs and the universal copper tariff, and the October 15 expiration of the U.S.–China tariff truce.”
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