September U.S. container imports reduced amid tariff uncertainty: Descartes

Descartes Systems Group has released its October Global Shipping Report for logistics and supply chain professionals, showing that in September 2025, U.S. container import volumes were 2,307,933 TEUs, down 8.4% from August and 8.4% below September 2024.

Imports from China fell to 762,772 TEUs, down 12.3% month-over-month and 22.9% year-over-year.

Port transit time delays showed mixed results with overall minor improvements in September as volumes declined from August.

The October update of the logistics metrics monitored by Descartes suggests that tariff volatility continues to create trade uncertainty, while global supply chains also contend with ongoing geopolitical disruptions.

September imports decreased 8.4% over August and were 8.4% below September 2024 (see graph, source: Descartes Datamyne™ ). While the month-over-month decline is consistent with seasonal patterns in eight of the last 10 years, the steeper drop this year potentially highlights heightened sensitivity to tariff deadlines as importers continue to adjust shipment flows in response to policy changes.

For the first nine months of 2025, volumes are tracking 1.9% ahead of the same period in 2024, highlighting that, despite September’s decline, import activity remains relatively strong this year.