For the first time in decades, U.S. container imports are showing a decline that breaks history.

July’s numbers looked like a rebound — up 3.2% year-on-year — but analysts warn it was only frontloading before new tariffs hit in August. The truth is in the trendline: six months of steady declines, with forecasts pointing to a staggering 17.5% drop in inbound volumes for the rest of 2025.

This is extraordinary. Container growth has almost always outpaced GDP — often by two or three times. To see it not just slow, but reverse, signals a seismic shift in how goods move into the U.S. It’s not just about tariffs — it’s about trade flows potentially rerouting away from U.S. ports to other North American gateways.

For shippers, forwarders, and carriers, this isn’t just news — it’s a warning. Planning based on old growth assumptions won’t work anymore. Flexibility and visibility will decide who adapts and who falls behind.