Descartes: US Container Imports ‘Stand Still’ in October

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A new report from Descartes shows that US container imports in October were nearly flat, down 7.5% year-on-year, reflecting importer caution in the face of trade uncertainty and slowing consumer demand.

Descartes Systems Group has just released its November Global Shipping Report, which highlights that US container imports were nearly flat in October, while total year-to-date (YTD) volumes continued to decline.

Total imports in October were 2,306,687 TEU, down slightly by 0.1% from September and 7.5% lower than October 2024.

The report points out that October logistics figures reflect caution among importers amid lingering trade uncertainty and that early consolidation may have occurred in previous months as importers adjusted to changing tariffs.

Year-on-Year Growth Momentum Almost Exhausted

One of the most notable points of the report is the significant narrowing of the growth margin. In the first 10 months of 2025, total output was only 0.9% higher than in the same period in 2024.

The growth margin compared to 2024 has been narrowing steadily throughout the year – from almost 10% in January to just under 1% in October. This shows that persistent trade volatility, pre-harvest activities and slowing consumer demand have significantly reduced growth momentum.

Shipping Sources: China Recovers, Vietnam and India Decline

In terms of countries of origin, imports from the top 10 countries increased slightly by 1.3% month-on-month (MoM).

This modest recovery was driven by China, which increased by 5.4% (equivalent to 41,129 TEUs) compared to September. However, compared to the same period last year (YoY), volumes from China were still down a sharp 16.3%.

Other markets that recorded significant growth compared to September included:

•  Japan (+25.2%)

•  Italy (+13.0%)

•  South Korea (+8.2%)

In contrast, other major markets recorded declines compared to the previous month:

•  India (-19.0%)

•  Thailand (-6.0%)

•  Vietnam (-4.8%)

•  Germany (-3.8%)

Commenting on the figures, Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes, said: “Despite the increase in volumes from China, total US container imports in October were down slightly compared to September. The October result may signal ongoing caution among US importers in the face of persistent geopolitical conflicts and regulatory volatility, which have fueled uncertainty.” higher supply chain uncertainty and complexity as policies change and evolve rapidly.”

The report also noted that compared to September, port transit time delays increased slightly in October at most of the top US ports.

Source: Phaata