News
The combined Import volume at U.S. major container ports is forecast to hit a new all-time record this month, driven by retailers stocking up ahead of expected tariff increases, according to a Global Port Tracker (GPT) report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates. (HA)
The U.S. ports covered by GPT handled 2.24 million TEUs in May, up 14.9% from a year earlier, when imports were down sharply because of last year’s Liberation Day tariffs, and up 10.1% from April.
Ports have not yet reported June numbers, but GPT projects the month at 2.33 million TEUs, up 18.7% year on year, which would bring the first half to 12.77 million TEUs, up 2%.
July is forecast at 2.47 million TEUs, which would be up 3.3% from last year and top the previous monthly record of 2.4 million TEUs set in May 2022 as the economy bounced back from the pandemic. Imports are expected to drop to 2.22 million TEUs in August, down 4.5%. September is forecast at 1.99 million TEUs, down 5.7%; October at 1.99 million TEUs, down 3.8%; and November at 1.92 millions TEU, down 5.2%.
