Inbound traffic at the top 10 ports rose 3.2% year-on-year, but the gains are seen as temporary due to U.S. tariffs impacting global trade flows. In July, volume increased due to frontloading before additional tariffs. However, the three-month trend shows a significant decline in inbound and outbound volume, with a 5.6% decrease expected for 2025.

The National Retail Federation predicts a 5.6% decline in total import volume for 2025, attributing it to tariffs impacting trade. Inbound container volume has been steadily decreasing, with the data indicating a shift of inbound volume away from U.S. ports to North America. This decline is unprecedented in the industry’s history.

Analysis shows that U.S. container volume changes are below the global average, and additional tariffs are projected to widen the gap further. Data suggests a significant shift of inbound volume from U.S. ports to other North American ports, highlighting the impact of tariffs on trade flows.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Tariffs pointing to historic import gap for U.S. container ports: Analyst