China

Blank sailings on major China–U.S. trade routes have finally started to calm down after a rough stretch earlier this year, according to new data from project44. After months of spikes tied to tariff changes, carriers appear to be settling into new trade patterns as demand levels out.

The United States and China appear to have found at least some common ground on a few different issues, during this week’s meeting between President Donald Trump and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, at the APEC meeting in South Korea.

September U.S.-bound container import volume—at 2,307,933 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—fell 8.4% compared to August’s 2,519,722 TEU, the second-highest monthly total in 2025 and close to the May 2022 monthly record, as well as the third-highest September tally on record, and was also down 8.4% annually. On a year-to-date basis through September, volumes are up 1.9% compared to the same period a year ago, which Descartes said suggests moderate resilience in overall demand. 

Actions outlined by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in regards to announced modifications of certain aspects of the responsive action to modify American shipbuilding from April, went into effect.

The impetus for this planned action, Trump said, was due to China taking what he described as an extraordinarily aggressive position on trade, in the form of imposing large scale export controls on nearly every product made in China and some not made in China, including rare earth minerals.

A session at this week’s Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE conference in National Harbor, Maryland addressed various aspects related to the current state of the freight market, including the impact of various freight recessions, above-average inventory levels despite efforts to reduce them, the importance of maintaining shipper-provider relationships, as well the impact of tariffs, and other topics.

At Prologis’ Groundbreakers event, CEO Hamid Moghadam and Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized the urgent need for abundant, reliable energy to power AI growth, digital infrastructure, and next-gen supply chains

The plan also covers steel, textiles, and around 1,400 other products from countries without trade agreements.

August U.S.-bound container import volume—at 2,519,722 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—decreased 3.9% compared to July (higher than the 3.0% decline for the same period a year ago) and were up 1.6% annually and 17.6% higher than pre-pandemic 2019.

Following a 90-day pause rolled out in May, which was set to expire today, the White House said yesterday, in an Executive Order, that tariffs on United States-bound imports from China will remain at current levels for another 90 days, through November 10.

A report recently issued by Everstream Analytics, a supply chain risk management research firm, takes a wide-ranging look at how ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China are impacting global technology supply chains on various fronts.

The U.S. will levy a cumulative 55% tariffs on Chinese goods, comprised of 25% on the majority of products announced by the White House during Trump’s first term in office, as well the 20% tariffs related to stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and the 10% universal tariffs, and China would apply a 10% tariff on U.S. goods;

Following the United States and China announcing yesterday that they have agreed to drop substantial tariffs placed on each other for a 90-day period, through August 12, the White House announced later in the day, through an executive order, that it is lowering applied de minimis tariff rates placed on low-value imports under $800 imported into the United States from China and also Hong Kong.

While there was a large amount of speculation regarding an anticipated drop in United States-bound import declines driven by the myriad trade policy and tariff actions put into action by President Trump since his return to office, that speculation has become reality, based on sentiment from various industry stakeholders.

In an Executive order issued yesterday, President Trump again increased tariffs on United States-bound imports from China. The rationale for the increase, as noted in the Executive Order, is due to retaliatory actions taken by China in response to tariffs placed on it by the U.S.