U.S. seaports in January handled 6.8% less container import volume than the year-ago month, according to supply chain technology provider Descartes Systems Group. The decline is attributed to a comparison with January 2025, when U.S. companies rushed in goods to front-run President Donald Trump’s tariffs and sent imports soaring to a record high for the month.

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U.S. container imports totaled 2,318,722 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in January, exceeding the historical average for the month. Descartes said this likely points to a more normalized trade environment shaped by steady demand rather than frontloading activity.

Imports from China totaled 771,093 TEUs, down 22.7% from January 2025. China accounted for one-third of total U.S. imports last month.

Investors monitor U.S. container imports because they are a bellwether for economic health, including consumer demand that is the main driver of the domestic economy. They also show the effects of Trump’s trade policies that ripple from Main Street to Wall Street.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform