US port imports are projected to drop in H1 2026 due to ongoing tariffs, with a forecasted decline in container volumes, says GlobalData.
Import volumes at US ports are forecast to decline in the first half of 2026 as tariffs continue to weigh on trade, reported London's GlobalData.
Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett stated that tariffs have caused 'a global change in trade relations' and warned that container imports, which remained flat in 2025 compared to 2024, are expected to fall in early 2026 and possibly for a longer duration.
Global Port Tracker projects imports of 12.27 million TEU in the first half of 2026, down two percent from 12.53 million TEU in the same period last year. Monthly estimates range from 2.11 million TEU in January to 2.12 million TEU in June.
While May and June are forecast to show year-on-year increases, this is largely due to lower volumes in 2025 after new tariffs were imposed in April. In December, ports tracked handled 1.99 million TEU, down 1.7 percent from November and 6.6 percent from December 2024.
Full-year imports reached 25.4 million TEU in 2025, slightly below the 25.5 million TEU recorded in 2024. Legal challenges continue over the administration's use of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, with a Supreme Court ruling expected soon.
National Retail Federation vice president Jonathan Gold remarked that tariffs are a tax on US businesses, ultimately paid by consumers through higher prices. He called for clear and predictable trade policies to support supply chain certainty, business planning, and affordability.
The Global Port Tracker covers historical data and forecasts for major US ports including Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York/New Jersey, Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami, Jacksonville, and Houston.
