The US ports covered by the report handled 2.3 million TEU in August, the latest month with final data available. That was down 0.7 per cent from a year earlier but up 0.4 per cent from July, the report showed. One TEU is one 20-foot container or its equivalent.
Ports had not yet reported September figures, but Global Port Tracker projected volume at 2.28 million TEU, up 8.2 per cent year on year (YoY). October is forecast at 2.25 million TEU, up 8.5 per cent; November at 2 million TEU, down 1 per cent; and December at 2.02 million TEU, up 0.6 per cent.
US import cargo at major container ports has begun slowing after a drawn-out peak season, with August likely the busiest month of 2026 at 2.3 million TEU.
Global Port Tracker projects September at 2.28 million TEU and October at 2.25 million TEU, with 2026 volumes seen at 25.8 million TEU.
NRF said most holiday goods have arrived.
Those projections would take 2026 import volume to 25.8 million TEU, up 1.4 per cent from 25.4 million TEU last year. The first half of 2026 totalled 12.7 million TEU, up 1.1 per cent from the same period in 2025. January 2027 is forecast at 2.07 million TEU, down 1.9 per cent YoY, while February is forecast at 1.92 million TEU, up 1 per cent.
Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy, National Retail Federation, said: “Even with any fluctuations in final data, we’re likely past the busiest part of the year. The truth is that the peak season started early and was stretched out through the summer and early fall, with the difference from month to month often amounting to little more than a rounding error. Most holiday merchandise has arrived, and the remainder of the year is just a matter of last-minute replenishment and preparation for early 2027. Consumers should find shelves well stocked with a wide range of choices to meet their needs and budgets for the holidays.”
Ben Hackett, founder, Hackett Associates, said: “Core economic indicators are broadly flat or weakening slightly month over month recently. Despite this, consumers appear to remain confident and cautious at the same time, with consumer confidence indexes sliding to multi-year lows while consumer spending continues to be robust in the face of increasing inflation.”
Global Port Tracker, produced for NRF by Hackett Associates, covers the US ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast; and Houston on the Gulf Coast.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (MS)
