U.S. ports brought in more than 2.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in containerized imports in July 2026, up 4.5% from the previous month, but down 4.3% year-over-year.
According to an August 10 report from Descartes, July 2026 represented the fourth highest level for U.S. container volumes for that month on record. However, the month was still largely in line with historical trends, as peak shipping season typically drives a pickup in imports between June and July. Import levels also came down from what was an "exceptional peak" in 2025, which had been driven by shippers looking to get ahead of the Trump administration's "Liberation Day" tariffs last summer.
Another report released August 10, the Global Port Tracker from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, found that this year’s peak shipping season is coming to an end. The report said that, although import volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to remain high this month, it is expected to decline for the remainder of 2026.
Across the top 10 U.S. ports, container volumes jumped by a combined 5.1% between June and July, with the Port of Houston logging the largest increase at 19.9%, followed by the Port of Long Beach at 15.8%, and the Port of Savannah at 6.1%. Just three of those 10 ports reported declines: Tacoma (down 4.6%), Los Angeles (down 1.8%), and New York/Newark (down 1.3%).
Notably, U.S. containerized imports from China rose by 7.2% month-to-month to more than 873,000 TEUs, reaching their highest levels since July 2025. China also accounted for nearly 35% of all U.S. containerized imports in July 2026, up from 33.9% in June. China's strongest categories included machinery and plastics, which made up 17.5% and 15% of its import mix respectively, as well as furniture bedding (13.9%) and apparel/textiles (10.6%).
Looking ahead, Descartes warned of a broader trade landscape that's still unsettled.
"Elevated Strait of Hormuz risk, changing U.S. tariff measures, tighter Panama Canal draft restrictions, and continued Red Sea disruption are influencing freight costs, routing decisions, and sourcing strategies," Descartes explained. "July’s results point to resilient seasonal demand, but also highlight the operational and policy uncertainty importers continue to face through the second half of 2026."
