U.S. seaports handled 2,519,722 TEUs in August, up 1.6% year over year but down 3.9% from July’s surge as importers navigated fast-shifting trade policy, according to supply-chain data provider Descartes Systems Group.
Year-to-date volumes through August are tracking 3.3% ahead of 2024. Imports from China totaled 869,523 TEUs—about 34.5% of all U.S. box imports—10.8% below a year earlier.
The biggest year-over-year drops came in aluminum (HS-76), apparel (HS-61/62) and footwear (HS-64); furniture, toys and electrical machinery also fell.
After retailers front-loaded inventory to beat tariff deadlines, volume may have topped out in July. “Much of this volume was fueled by importers hustling to bring in cargo ahead of potential tariff hikes,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, which logged 543,728 loaded import TEUs in July, an 8% year-over-year record.
Policy remains the wildcard. The U.S.–China tariff truce was extended 90 days to Nov. 10, averting a snap-back to 145% U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods (and 125% Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods) and holding U.S. China-bound rates at 30% for now. At the same time, the U.S. raised duties on Indian goods—up to 50% in total after an additional 25% levy—citing India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. That raises risk for U.S. apparel and general-merchandise importers; Walmart, frequently cited as the top U.S. box importer, is among those exposed.
Legal uncertainty adds to the fog: on Aug. 29, a U.S. appeals court ruled most of the Trump tariffs illegal, but stayed its decision until Oct. 14 while the administration seeks Supreme Court review—meaning the duties remain in force for now.
Macro signals are mixed heading into peak retail season. The ISM Manufacturing PMI registered 48.7 in August (contraction for a sixth straight month). Consumer-spending intentions diverge: PwC’s survey shows an average 5% planned decline in holiday outlays, while Bain forecasts +4% year-over-year holiday sales growth—below the 10-year average.
Descartes Systems Group is a publicly listed provider of logistics software and trade-data services.