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2h ago

U.S. Container Imports Reach Record High in September

Ship rerouting from the Panama Canal to West Coast ports plus strong consumer demand tightened logistics capacity.

A truck with a Maersk container at APM Terminals at the Port of Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
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Overview

  • Descartes reported about 2.55 million TEUs entered the United States in September, marking the highest monthly import volume on record for the month.
  • The Port of Los Angeles set a separate monthly record by handling roughly 1.04 million TEUs as many Asia‑bound ships favored West Coast routes.
  • The National Retail Federation raised its October import forecast to about 2.25 million TEUs while saying the busiest part of the season appears to be passing.
  • Logistics indicators showed rising inventories, shrinking warehouse availability, constrained transport capacity, and longer port transit times that are pushing up costs for retailers.
  • China was the single largest source of the September increase with shipments near 924,000 TEUs, a shift that reinforced West Coast gains and influenced routing decisions.