Descartes releases July Global Shipping Report

Descartes Systems Group released its July Global Shipping Report for logistics and supply chain professionals. In June 2025, U.S. container import volumes rose by a modest 1.8% over the previous month’s sharp 9.7% decline. Imports from China were nearly flat (0.4%) in June compared to May but were down 28.3% compared to June 2024. Port dynamics shifted again in June, with top West Coast ports regaining the lead in market share over top East and Gulf Coast ports by a 6.7% margin. Overall, port transit time delays improved substantially in June, led by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

U.S. container import volumes stabilize in June after May drop.

June 2025 U.S. container import volumes were 2,217,675 TEUs—a slight 1.8% increase over May (see Figure 1). Compared to June 2024, volumes were down 3.5% but still 12.9% above June 2019, signaling structural demand strength despite ongoing headwinds. The rebound marks a stabilization in import activity after May’s sharp contraction and may suggest that U.S. importers are adapting their supply chains amid ongoing trade volatility. For the first six months of the year, total imports were up 3.8% compared to the same period in 2024, although growth has slowed compared to earlier in the year.

U.S. imports from China were up a slight 0.4% in June (639,300 TEUs) compared to May (637,001 TEUs) but were down a significant 28.3% year-over-year. In addition, China’s share of total U.S. containerized imports fell to 28.8% in June, hitting a four-year low and down substantially from the high of 41.5% in February 2022. Among other top countries of origin, several Southeast Asian nations posted robust volume growth in June over May, including Vietnam at 7.7% followed by Indonesia at 17.3%, Thailand at 8.6%, and Italy at 9.0%, suggesting continued momentum for diversifying sourcing strategies (see Figure 2).

“While U.S. container imports posted a small rebound in June, the effects of U.S. policy shifts with China in particular are visible for a second consecutive month,” said Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes. “As U.S. importers continue to assess and adapt their supply chains, two key trade deadlines—the July 9 expiration of the pause on sweeping Liberation Day tariffs and the August 10 expiration of the U.S.–China trade truce—may create further pressure on businesses to bolster supply chain resilience in the wake of a quickly fluctuating trade environment.”