September imports are projected to reach 2.31 million TEU, extending the US peak season amid ongoing supply chain challenges.
According to the latest forecast from the Global Port Tracker report, jointly published by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates, the US import peak season continues to extend into the latter months of 2026, with September volumes projected to reach 2.31 million TEU - marginally surpassing the 2.30 million TEU recorded in July.
Jonathan Gold, NRF Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy, stated: 'We thought the peak season was basically over, but that is not the case.' Gold attributed part of the shift observed throughout the summer to vessel delays caused by severe weather conditions and transit restrictions through the Panama Canal arising from prolonged drought, which compelled a number of carriers to reroute their services. Despite sustained pressure from tariffs, inflationary conditions, and elevated fuel costs, consumer spending has remained resilient, and retailers continue to replenish inventory to meet prevailing market demand.
Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, added: 'Despite some headwinds, imports have remained active over the past three months.' He noted that retail sales continue to demonstrate strength and cargo movements have remained relatively steady, even as vessel delays have extended transit times across supply chains.
Separately, data published by Descartes indicates that US container imports climbed to 2.604 million TEU in August 2026, representing a month-on-month increase of 3.8% and a year-on-year gain of 3.3%. For the first eight months of 2026, cumulative US container imports registered a modest year-on-year decline of 0.4%, yet remain substantially above pre-pandemic levels - a signal of the market's underlying structural resilience.
Descartes analysts have identified a supply chain environment of growing complexity. Rising risk exposure in the Strait of Hormuz, evolving US tariff measures, tightening draft restrictions in the Panama Canal, and ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea are collectively reshaping freight costs, routing decisions, and sourcing strategies. The August data affirms the durability of US import demand; however, sustained policy uncertainty, compounding geopolitical instability, and increasing port delays reinforce the strategic imperative for flexible, data-driven supply chain planning.
In August 2026, US imports from China reached 884,000 TEU, reflecting a month-on-month increase of 1.3%. Measured against the historical peak of 1.023 million TEU recorded in July 2024, however, volumes remain 13.5% below that benchmark. China's share of total US container imports eased from 34.8% in July to 34.0% in August.
At the port level, the ten largest US ports collectively recorded container import growth of 3.8% month-on-month in August, adding a combined 80,661 TEU.
Across the board, dwell times at major US gateway ports increased in August 2026. The most pronounced deterioration was recorded at the Port of Houston and the Port of Seattle - Houston extending average delays from 4.3 days to 5.8 days, and Seattle from 6.1 days to 7.6 days - reflecting mounting operational pressure on port infrastructure and underscoring the urgency of adaptive logistics strategies in an increasingly constrained trade environment.
