Supply Lines

US Cargo Imports Set to Stabilize Heading Into Next Phase of Tariff Uncertainty

After a rollercoaster year for maritime shipping in 2025, next year looks to bring more stability
Container ships at the APM Maersk Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles in July 2025.Photographer: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg
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US seaborne imports are poised to stabilize in 2026, as cargo owners facing President Donald Trump’s trade barriers seek to further diversify global supply chains and adapt to American consumers increasingly worried about the cost of living.

According to the Global Port Tracker report released Monday by the National Retail Federation and and Hackett Associates, 2.07 million 20-foot container units were unloaded in October. That’s down 1.8% from September and a nearly 8% drop from the previous October.