US container imports fell sharply in September 2025, with total imported volumes down 8.4% from August to 2,307,933 TEU, according to the latest Descartes Systems Group data. Global Shipping Report. This decline – the largest monthly decline in recent years – reflects importers’ increasing caution ahead of looming tariff changes and the end of the tariff truce between the United States and China.
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China was the main driver of the contraction, with import volumes falling 12.3% month-on-month to 762,772 TEU, down 22.9% year-on-year. Almost all major product categories saw declines, led by aluminum and related materials (-43.8%), footwear (-33.9%), and electrical machinery (-31.5%). Both the knitted and non-knitted clothing categories declined by more than 29%.
Furniture and bedding — China’s largest export category to the United States — declined 22.3% from a year earlier but continued to account for 14.5% of all shipments of Chinese origin.
Descartes noted that global supply chains continue to face significant uncertainty as tariff volatility intersects with broader geopolitical and logistics disruptions.
“After two months of high volumes, US container imports fell in September, led by a significant decline in volumes from China,” said Jackson Wood, director of industry strategy at Descartes. “This decline underscores how seasonal trends are being amplified by tariff-related caution. With the 90-day tariff truce expiring in mid-November, China’s share of US imports remains highly sensitive to policy outcomes and market dynamics.”
While the slowdown in September is in line with seasonal patterns seen in most years, the steeper-than-usual decline highlights how trade flows are now tied to tariff timelines. Despite the recent decline, YTD import volumes are still 1.9% higher than during the same period in 2024.
Imports from the top 10 exporting countries collectively fell by 9.4% month-on-month, representing a combined loss of 169,126 TEU. Among the major declines: Italy (-15.1%), South Korea (-14.1%), Germany (-11.6%), Hong Kong (-11.2%), and Taiwan (-10.2%).
The trade decline comes amid new political headwinds. New Section 301 vessel tariffs will go into effect on October 14, while a tariff truce between the US and China is set to expire on November 10 – both of which are expected to increase pressure on Asian-origin shipments during the fourth quarter.
Port performance data from Descartes showed mixed trends in September, with slight improvements in overall transit times as import volumes declined.
Descartes noted that global supply chains continue to face significant uncertainty as tariff volatility intersects with broader geopolitical and logistics disruptions.
