US Container Imports Hit Record High for September

US container imports reached 2,546,261 standard containers (TEUs) in September, the highest level recorded for the month, up 10.3% from September 2025 and 24.8% from September 2019, though 2.2% lower than August. Consequently, imports for the first nine months of 2026 were 0.8% higher than the corresponding period in 2025, marking the first cumulative gain of the year.

Imports arriving from China reached 924,454 containers in September, up 4.5% from August and 21.2% from last year, raising China's share to 36.3% of total imports compared to 34% in August. Plastics categories led imports from China with 135,097 containers, followed by furniture and furnishings with 123,574 containers, and toys and sports equipment with 92,842 containers.

Imports declined from seven of the top ten countries of origin, with the Chinese increase offsetting most of this drop, while India and Taiwan recorded gains. West Coast ports regained market share at the expense of several gateways on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, while transit delays affected eight of the top ten ports.

Jackson Wood, Vice President of Product Management at Descartes, said, "September's record import volumes demonstrate that US maritime trade remains remarkably strong," adding that "strong demand coincides with rising port delays and shifting tariff requirements." Descartes' monthly report serves as a benchmark for tracking container flows to US ports amid a volatile trade environment.

What Do These Terms Mean?

Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU): A unit of measurement for port handling volume, equivalent to a 20-foot long container, used to measure the number of containers passing through ports.

Tariffs: Customs duties imposed by a country on imported goods, where increases raise the cost of goods and alter the timing of shipments.

Port Transit Time: The duration a container takes from the arrival of the vessel until the cargo leaves the port, used to measure port efficiency.