U.S. ports recorded a 6.8% decline in container import volumes in January compared with the same month a year earlier, data released Monday by supply chain technology provider Descartes Systems Group showed.
The report noted that January 2025 had been unusually strong as companies accelerated shipments to avoid impending tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, producing a record-high month for imports. By contrast, this January’s levels, while down year-over-year, remained above the historical average for the month.
Descartes said the elevated-than-average total of 2,318,722 20-foot equivalent units - TEUs - likely reflects a return to a more normalized trade pattern driven by steady demand rather than the frontloading activity observed a year earlier.
Imports originating from China fell more sharply than the overall figure, dropping 22.7% to 771,093 TEUs compared with January 2025. Despite that sizable decrease, shipments from China still made up roughly one-third of all container imports into the United States for the month.
Container import volumes are closely monitored by market participants because they provide a real-time gauge of economic activity, particularly consumer demand, which is a major driver of the U.S. economy. Descartes' figures also underscore how the tariff-focused trade policies announced by President Trump have affected trade flows and market perceptions, influencing activity on both Main Street and Wall Street.
The data offer a snapshot of port activity that market observers and supply chain managers can use to assess current demand conditions and the lingering effects of policy-driven shipment timing. While year-over-year comparisons show declines, the persistence of above-average volumes for the month suggests demand has not weakened to the point of dropping below typical seasonal levels.