/Agencia Reuters
U.S. container imports fell 5.5% in April, as importers grapple with uncertainty in trade policies and geopolitical risks, according to supply chain technology provider Descartes Systems Group.
The volume of containerized entries has been affected by changes in U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies and by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz – a vital maritime corridor for energy supply – following attacks by the U.S. and Israel on that country.
Import trends are considered a thermometer of the economic health of the United States: they rise when the economy is strong and fall when it weakens.
U.S. ports handled 2,277,965 TEU in April, representing a 3.2% decline from March levels, according to Descartes data. This marked the first sequential decline in volumes for an April since 2022.
Despite this, last month’s container import volume was approximately 19% higher than pre-pandemic levels of April 2019, which the firm described as a reflection of the “continued resilience of underlying demand.”
However, so far in 2026, containerized entries in the United States have accumulated a 5% decline.
Meanwhile, containerized imports from China fell 15.3% year-over-year, standing at 680,778 TEU in April 2026.
Importers are likely to receive a “short-term liquidity boost,” as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin issuing the first tariff refunds starting May 12, Descartes noted.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the firm warned that political uncertainty and cost pressure will persist as long as “replacement tariffs remain in effect,” it underscored.
