Ocean Shipping

With one year ending and a new one soon beginning, there is often a sense of a change or a fresh start coming. While that may sound good on paper, when it comes to the current state of the freight, or logistics, economy, it is more than likely that that prospects of meaningful shifts, or changes, in the current landscape, may not represent anything more than wishful thinking.

November imports, at 2.63 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), decreased 3.2% annually, falling for the third consecutive month, and were down sequentially compared to October’s 2.71 million TEU.

November U.S.-bound container import volume—at 2,183,048 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—were off 5.4% compared to October and saw a 7.5% annual decline.

For October, the most recent month for which data is available, U.S. imports, for the ports surveyed in the report, came in at 2.07 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), excluding the Port of Charleston, which marked a 1.8% sequential decline and a 7.9% annual decline.  

Hacebaga currently serves as POLB Chief Operating Officer. He has been at POLB for the last 15 years in various senior management roles, and in his current position he oversees daily operations, including commercial services, engineering, finance and administration, planning and environmental affairs, and strategic advocacy.  

POLA reported that October volume, at 848,431 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), fell 6.25% annually, and POLB reported that October volume, at 839,671 TEU, fell 14.9% annually, compared to October 2024, the port’s strongest month on record in its 114 years of operations.

The report, entitled "Transport M&A Review: Q3 2025," stated that quarterly deal volume, at 111, saw an 18% decrease compared to the second quarter, which was also slow, adding that on an annual basis Q3 deal volume was off 47% compared to the third quarter 2024.

October imports, at 2.71 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) fell 3.4% annually, again seeing a sequential decline compared to September’s 2.72 million TEU, August’s 2.9 million TEU, and July’s 3.01 million TEU.

October U.S.-bound container import volume—at 2,306,687 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—were off 0.1% compared to September’s 2,307,933 TEU and saw a 7.5% annual decline.

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 Office of the USTR said that this suspension will be for one year and went into effect at 12:01 AM ET on November 10.

For September, the most recent month for which data is available, U.S. imports, for the ports surveyed in the report, came in at 2.1 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), which marked a 9.3% sequential decline and a 7.4% annual decline.  

LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently interviewed Chris Butler, CEO, at Cranford, N.J.-based National Tree Company. Butler provided Berman with an overview of how National Tree is handling tariff policy, supply chain uncertainty, seasonal issues, and sourcing, among other topics.

The firm reported that September imports, at 2.72 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), fell 5.8% annually, down from August’s 2.9 million TEU July’s 3.01 million TEU (which topped the 3 million TEU mark for the first time and came on the heels of a June decline, coupled with importers looking to optimize sourcing following the White House’s reciprocal tariffs related to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on most U.S. trading partners, which went into effect on August 7).

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.