Descartes releases October Global Shipping Report

Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, released its October Global Shipping Report for logistics and supply chain professionals. The report shows that September U.S. container import volumes were 2,520,935 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which marks the second time this year that volumes have eclipsed 2.5 million TEUs and the third month in a row that they have surpassed the 2.4 million TEU threshold that has historically strained U.S. maritime logistics. Despite another month of elevated volumes, port transit time delays decreased at the majority of top 10 U.S. ports. The October update of the logistics metrics monitored by Descartes reinforces the strength of U.S. container imports since the start of 2024; however, potential challenges associated with the recently resolved International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike and ongoing conflict in the Middle East may create pressure on global supply chains throughout the remainder of the year.

September 2024 U.S. container imports exceed 2.5M TEUs.

U.S. container import volumes in September 2024 were 2,520,935 TEUs (see Figure 1). This marks a 1.7% increase over August 2024, a significant 14.4% rise compared to September of last year, and an impressive 23.5% increase over pre-pandemic September 2019. Over the first nine months of 2024, import volumes are 16.5% higher than the same period in 2019.

Figure 1: U.S. Container Import Volume Year-over-Year Comparison

“Despite a third month of elevated container import volumes, port transit delays improved at the majority of the top 10 U.S. ports in September,” said Jackson Wood, Director, Industry Strategy at Descartes. “Imports from China are contributing to overall U.S. volumes, posting the three highest monthly volumes on record in July, August and now September.”

The October report is Descartes’ thirty-eighth installment since beginning its analysis in August 2021.