Descartes report finds that U.S.-bound imports jump 18.2% in July amid trade policy shifts

The August edition of the Global Shipping Report issued by Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings, highlighted the second-highest month on record for United States-bound container import volumes, for last month.

This the 48th edition of the Global Shipping Report, going back to its debut in August 2021.  

July U.S.-bound container import volume—at 2,621,910 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—increased 18.2% over June and were up 2.6% annually. Along with being the second-highest monthly volume tally on record, it is only 555 TEU below the all-time record set in May 2022.  For the first seven months of 2025, the report said that volumes are up 3.6% annually and when compared to pre-pandemic 2019, volumes are up 19.3%. 

The report explained that July’s strong imports reversed slower activity seen in May and June, noting that the increase reflects both strong seasonal demand, which typically drives higher volumes in July, and accelerated shipments in response to shifting trade policies.

“Following two months of uneven performance, July’s surge in container imports underscores the impact of U.S. tariff policies, not just seasonal demand cycles, on container volumes,” said Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes. “Trade uncertainty remains high, however, as U.S. importers evaluate their supply chains in the face of the August 1 implementation of reciprocal duties on over 60 countries, the August 7 start of India-specific tariffs and the universal copper tariff, and the October 15 expiration of the U.S.–China tariff truce.”

U.S.-bound imports from China, at 923,075 TEU, marked a 44.4% sequential increase, as well as the highest monthly tally in 2025 since January, while China’s share of U.S. imports headed up to 35.2% in July, compared to June’s 28.8% reading—while still below the February 2022 peak of 41.5%.

Descartes observed how July’s increase came on the heels of “sharp contraction” May and June, which coincided with the end of the de minimis exemption, coupled with what it called elevated uncertainty with respect to tariffs weighed on shipment flows.

U.S.-bound imports, for the top 10 countries of origin, saw a collective 25.4%, or 382,800 TEU, increase, from June to July. China led the way, up 44.4% sequentially, with 283,775 TEU, and Hong Kong was up 47.8%, or 25,185 TEU. South Korea and India, were up 16.8% (15,779 TEU) and 13.6% (14,658 TEU), respectively.

Other key findings in the report included:

• Container volumes at the top 10 U.S. ports were up 42.9%, or 262,126 TEU, from June to July, with the Port of Long Beach up 26.7%, or 53,595 TEU, and the Port of Los Angeles up 33.6%, or 63,541 TEU, with East and Gulf Coast ports showing the most significant growth, with Houston up 122.0%, Savannah up 90.2%, and New York/Newark up 69.5%; and
• top West Coast ports increased their market share slightly to 45.8%, up from 45.4% in June and marking the strongest position since January (see Figure 8). East and Gulf Coast ports also rebounded modestly, rising to 39.3% from 38.7% the prior month, though still below May’s 44.5% peak. The stabilization in port shares follows the extension of the U.S.–China tariff truce through October, which has supported stronger China-origin volumes that are typically routed through Pacific gateways. Overall, the top 10 U.S. ports handled 85.1% of total containerized imports in July, a slight gain from 84.1% in June.