U.S. container imports remained strong in April 2025, rising 1.2% over March and 9.1% year-over-year, according to the latest Descartes Global Shipping Report. Monthly volumes reached 2,410,371 TEUs—surpassing 2.4 million for the second time this year—and marking the second-highest April on record, just 46,808 TEUs below the April 2022 peak.

Imports from China jumped 5.4% month-over-month to 804,122 TEUs, per Descartes, a 6.2% increase compared to April 2024. This surge likely reflects frontloaded shipments as businesses try to stay ahead of continued tariff uncertainty.

Collectively, the top ten U.S. ports handled 52,963 more TEUs in April, a 2.7% increase from March. West Coast ports saw the strongest gains, with Los Angeles up 13.9% and Long Beach up 12%, as in Descartes data report. In contrast, several East Coast ports experienced declines, including Savannah (-8.7%), Charleston (-6.7%), and Norfolk (-3.7%).