Hackett Associates

For the first half of 2025, Port Tracker said that total volume, at 12.53 million TEU, rose 3.7% annually, with calendar year 2025 expected to be down 2.9% annually, to 25.5 million TEU.

For July, the most recent month for which data is available, U.S. imports came in at 2.36 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), with the report’s authors saying that this tally excludes numbers for New York/New Jersey, Port Everglades, and Miami, marking a 20.1% gain over July, a period when importers were bringing in merchandise in advance of tariffs going into effect on August 1, while posting a 1.8% annual gain. This tally would mark the second highest-volume month on record, trailing...

With the White House’s widespread reciprocal tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners taking effect on August 7, the report said it expects total 2025 import cargo volume for the ports cited in the report to be 5.6% lower annually.

For May, the most recent month for which data is available, United States imports came in at 1.95 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), marking an 11.8% sequential decline and a 6.4% annual increase, with the latter marking the first annual decline going back to September 2023 and the lowest tally in any month since May 2024’s 1.93 million TEU.

While President Trump earlier today reversed course on widespread tariffs recently announced on United States trading partners, in the form of a 90-day pause through July 8, with the notable exception of China, the new edition of the Port Tracker report, which was released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates, expects U.S.-bound imports to recede in the coming months.

A letter sent yesterday to Jamieson Greer, Ambassador for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) by more than 300 industry associations, representing various sectors, including, transportation and logistics providers, manufacturers, importers, exporters, and retailers, among others, called on the USTR to not move forward with its proposals, regarding the Section 301 investigation focused on China’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding sectors for Dominance.

For January, the most recent month for which data is available, United States imports came in at 2.22 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), representing a 4.4% gain over December and a 13.4% annual increase.

While the potential East and Gulf Coast ports’ work stoppage will not come to fruition later this month, as was widely expected, the other major supply chain issue heading into 2025, potential tariff hikes, are continuing to drive an ongoing surge of United States-bound imports, according to the new edition of the  Port Tracker report, which was issued today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates.

For October, the most recent month for which data is available, United States imports came in at 2.25 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—which does not include final data from the Port of Miami—was down 1.2% from September and up 9.3% annually.

United States-bound imports are potentially poised to end 2024 at even higher levels than expected, spurred on by the chances of an East and Gulf Coast port’s strike in January, following a brief one in early October, and tariff actions expected to be taken when President-elect Donald Trump returns to office, according to the new edition of  the Port Tracker report, which was issued today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates.

While the expected East and Gulf Coasts’ port strike came to fruition at the end of September and subsequently ended after roughly three days, that is not expected to dint the ongoing stretch of high levels of United States-bound imports, , according to the Port Tracker report, which was issued today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates.

In advance of a potential East and Gulf Coast ports strike at the end of September, United States-bound import volumes are expected to remain elevated, according to the Port Tracker report, which was issued today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and maritime consultancy Hackett Associates.

For May, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 2.08 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), up 3% compared to March and up 7.5% annually. What’s more, the report pointed out that this marks the highest monthly tally going back to August 2022, when it came in at 2.26 million TEU.

For April, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 2.02 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), up 4.6% compared to March and up 13.2% annually. What’s more, the report pointed out that this marks the highest monthly tally going back to October 2023, when it came in at 2.06 million TEU.

For March, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 1.93 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), down 1.4% compared to February and up 18.7% annually, a period when Asian export activity was slow on the heels of Lunar New Year shutdowns, it noted.