North America container imports rise 9% as as freight pricing pressures mount

Global container volumes reached 17.35 million TEUs in September 2026, up 8% from a year earlier, as trade remained resilient despite mounting disruption and rising freight prices.

Monthly liftings fell 1.4% from August, although the decline followed the highest monthly volume recorded in the Container Trade Statistics database. Year-to-date volumes remained 5% above the same period in 2025, maintaining the growth rate seen since June.

North American imports increased 9% year-on-year, driven primarily by cargo originating in Asia and Europe. That marked an acceleration from the 7% annual growth recorded in the second quarter, extending the region’s recovery following weaker performance earlier in the year.

For the third quarter, global container volumes totaled 52.2 million TEUs, an increase of 2.4% from the second quarter. The gains came as the industry continued to face geopolitical disruption, capacity constraints and higher operating costs.

This story was originally published by FreightWaves. Read the full story at FreightWaves →