U.S. retailers accelerate imports from China by four to six weeks to stock up for the holiday season before anticipated tariff increases, boosting shipping demand and freight rates despite broader trade uncertainty.

Frontloading fueled the biggest inbound container increase in nearly two years, masking a trade environment still defined by volatility.

March’s modest growth was fueled by front-loaded shipments following the IEEPA ruling—underlying demand remains weak, with adjusted volumes pointing to one of the longest sustained downturns in U.S. shipping history.

December data shows U.S. inbound volumes down again year over year, widening the gap with fast-growing regions amid mounting tariff impacts.

Data shows the gap between U.S. container volume and global volume continues to widen, as the world mitigates tariff impacts with volume in other regions.

Tariff impacts reshape shipping, as inbound traffic to the U.S. drops 7.9% in October.