News
U.S. container imports from 10 major Asian countries and regions amounted to 1.5 million TEUs in May (bases on volumes at ports of origin), down 9.9% for their first year-on-year contraction in 21 months, according to statistics compiled by Descartes Datamyne from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data. From the previous month, they shrank 11.3%. Its imports totaled 2.18 million TEUs, down 6.3% from a year earlier.
In May, imports from China plunged 26.7% to 705,317 TEUs as they were more vividly impacted by the U.S. government’s tariff policy than ever, but managed to hold the leading share of the pie. In contrast, those from other countries and regions were mostly favorable, growing 39.2% year on year to 220,767 TEUs from Vietnam, 4% to 206,045 TEUs from South Korea, 19.3% to 79,519 TEUs from India and 4.1% to 71,871 TEUs from Taiwan. Container from Japan fell 5.7% to 34,380 TEUs, coming in eighth place.
In the first five months (January-May), U.S. imported 8.59 million TEUs from the 10 Asian economies, down 10.3% from the corresponding months of 2024.
Meanwhile, U.S. container exports to the 10 Asian countries and regions added up to 493,507 TEUs in April (based on volumes at ports of destination), down10.6% from a month earlier and 1.7% from a year earlier, according to Descartes Datamyne.
Exports to South Korea swelled 4.8% to 67,957 TEUs, while those to China nosedived 49.1% to 67,711 TEUs under the influence of Beijing’s retaliation against the tariffs imposed by Washington. Those to Japan jumped 29% to 67,393 TEUs; to India, 21.8% to 63,069 TEUs; and to Vietnam, 44.5% to 58,617 TEUs.
