U.S. containerized imports remained resilient in June 2026, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty, according to the latest Descartes Global Shipping Report. Total import volumes reached 2.40 million TEUs, down 1.2% from May but 8.2% higher than June 2025, reflecting the typical seasonal slowdown.
For the first six months of 2026, U.S. container imports were down just 0.3% compared with the same period last year. However, volumes remained 22.2% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels, highlighting continued strength in U.S. import demand.
Imports from the world’s top 10 sourcing countries remained broadly stable in June, declining only 0.3% month on month. Imports from China were virtually unchanged, slipping 0.2% after rebounding in May. Vietnam recorded the largest increase, with volumes rising 2.5%, followed by Indonesia (11.6%), Taiwan (7.7%) and Hong Kong (2.2%).
Among the countries posting lower volumes, Germany recorded the largest decline at 13.2%, followed by India (4.7%), South Korea (3.8%), Italy (4.0%) and Thailand (1.7%). Descartes said the figures suggest import activity from major sourcing markets stabilized following May’s China-led recovery.
Port performance showed mixed results during the month. Transit delays improved at most East and Gulf Coast gateways but almost doubled at the Port of Los Angeles, where container volumes increased 16.1%.
Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes, said the first half of 2026 showed little variation in overall U.S. container imports compared with last year. He noted that importers continue to face uncertainty from Middle East maritime risks, tariff changes, Panama Canal draft restrictions and ongoing disruption in the Red Sea. As a result, sourcing diversification, landed cost visibility and risk mitigation remain key priorities for supply chain managers.
Descartes expects geopolitical developments and trade policy changes to remain the primary factors influencing global supply chain decisions during the second half of 2026.
