US ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.05 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in April 2026, down 5.1 per cent from March and 7.3 per cent from the same month last year. The Port of New York and New Jersey had not yet reported its figures at the time of publication, NRF said in a press release.
According to the report, May imports are projected at 2.14 million TEU, up 9.7 per cent YoY, while June volumes are forecast to reach 2.25 million TEU, marking a 14.3 per cent increase. The gains are largely attributed to comparisons with unusually weak import levels recorded a year earlier.
US container imports are projected to rise in May and June as retailers accelerate shipments ahead of potential tariff increases and higher fuel costs, according to NRF and Hackett Associates.
June volumes are forecast at 2.25 million TEU, up 14.3 per cent year on year.
However, imports are expected to weaken from July onwards amid inflationary pressures, economic uncertainty and rising shipping costs.
“We expect to see a year-over-year increase this month that’s partly driven by retailers bringing in merchandise early because of higher costs from tariffs or fuel prices that could come starting in August,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for Supply Chain and Customs Policy. “Nonetheless, the ongoing trend is for lower imports as the conflict in Iran continues to cause higher inflation and economic uncertainty.”
Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said the year-over-year gain expected in June is partly because of the comparison against import levels that dropped sharply after President Donald Trump announced ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs in April 2025. But higher shipping costs and worries about additional tariffs imposed after those tariffs were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court are also a concern.
“We have increased our outlook for June cargo volume as retailers bring forward their peak season cargo to mitigate increasing shipping costs as carriers pass along the sharply rising cost of fuel and because of concerns about punitive replacement tariffs,” added Hackett.
“The current import surge will likely last into July, with an early peak season that resembles the more recent pattern of raised volume rather than a sharp peak. After this, we expect a weakening in import volume as consumer uncertainty remains high and the impact of increasing inflation takes its toll,” he said.
The report expects the current import surge to continue into July, with volumes forecast at 2.19 million TEU. However, imports are projected to decline thereafter, falling 8.4 per cent YoY in July, 8.6 per cent in August and 2.2 per cent in September. October volumes are forecast to remain largely flat at 2.08 million TEU.
The first half of 2026 is expected to total 12.6 million TEU, representing a modest increase of 0.6 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. Full-year imports in 2025 stood at 25.4 million TEU, down 0.3 per cent from 25.5 million TEU in 2024.
Industry observers expect retailers to continue balancing inventory requirements against rising logistics costs and uncertain trade policies in the months ahead.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
