September 11, 2025
U.S. ports handled 2.36 million twenty-foot equivalent units in July
According to the latest data released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates, U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.36 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units one 20-foot container or its equivalent in July, although numbers for New York/New Jersey, Port Everglades and Miami were estimated because they have not yet reported their data. That was up 20.1% from June as retailers brought in merchandise ahead of tariffs set to take effect in August, and up 1.8% year over year. It would be the second-busiest month on record, topped only by 2.4 million TEU in May 2022.
Ports have not yet reported numbers for August, but Global Port Tracker projected the month at 2.28 million TEU, down 1.7% year over year but higher than that 2.2 million TEU expected before the postponement of China tariffs and the new tariff on India.
September is forecast at 2.12 million TEU, down 6.8% year over year; October at 1.95 million TEU, down 13.2%, and November at 1.74 million TEU, down 19.7%. December is forecast at 1.7 million TEU, down 20.1% year over year for the slowest month since 1.62 million TEU in March 2023.
While the falling monthly totals are related to tariffs, the year-over-year percentage declines are both because of this year's early peak season and because imports in late 2024 were elevated by concerns about port strikes.
The first half of 2025 totaled 12.53 million TEU, up 3.6% year over year. The full year is forecast at 24.7 million TEU, down 3.4% from 25.5 million TEU in 2024.
Source: NRF