According to the "Global Shipping Report" released by Descartes Systems Group in October, container imports into the States in September 2025 saw a significant decline, dropping by 8.4% from August to 2,307,933 TEU. decrease marked the largest monthly fall in recent years as importers grappled with ongoing tariff uncertainties.

Imports from China saw the most notable decline, decreasing by 123% month-on-month to 762,772 TEU, and dropping by 22.9% compared to September 2024. decrease affected nearly all major product categories, with the largest year-on-year decline in aluminum and related products at 43.8%. Footwear imports fell by 3.9%, electrical machinery equipment imports by 31.5%, and both knitted and non-knitted apparel categories saw reductions of over 29% Furniture and bedding were the largest categories of imports from China, declining by 22.3% year-on-year but still accounting for 14.5% of Chinese imports.

Jackson Wood, Descartes' Director of Industry Strategy, noted, "After a couple of months of elevated imports in August and September, the decline container imports into the U.S. in September was largely attributable to a sharp drop in imports from China. The drop in imports in September underscored the dual impact of seasonal weakness and tariff-related caution. As the 90-day tariff truce between the U.S. and China is set to expire in mid-November, China' share of total U.S. imports remains sensitive to policy outcomes and potential market dynamics."

While the month-on-month decline in imports in September aligns with seasonal pattern observed in 8 out of the last 10 years, the more significant decrease this year reflects heightened sensitivity by importers to the tariff deadline, as they adjust cargo based on policy changes. Despite the contraction in September, year-to-date imports still grew by 1.9% compared to the same period in 2024

The report also showed a 9.4% month-on-month decrease in imports from the top 10 source countries, collectively reducing by 169126 TEU. Imports from Italy, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, and Taiwan also saw notable decreases of 15.1%, 141%, 11.6%, 11.2%, and 10.2%, respectively.

The import decline came as new 31-related vessel fees went into effect on October 14th and as the U.S.-China tariff truce neared its November 10th expiration date further compounding the pressures faced by Chinese imports. While port lead times saw mixed results in September, they generally improved slightly due to the decrease in imports from August.

Deses noted that tariff fluctuations continue to create trade uncertainties, while global supply chains also face ongoing geopolitical turmoil