US Ports Post Their Highest Container Imports in September

US ports tracked by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates' Global Port Tracker handled 2.37 million TEUs of loaded imports in September 2026, up 12.6% from a year earlier and 3.4% above August. This marks the highest monthly volume of the year and the third-highest since the report began tracking data, just below the 2.4 million TEUs recorded in May 2022 and the 2.39 million TEUs in July 2025.

September's figure came in roughly 90,000 TEUs above the 2.28 million forecast the NRF had issued in October. Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett attributed the extended peak season to shifts in US tariff policy: after the Supreme Court struck down the 'Liberation Day' tariffs, new measures introduced in the second quarter triggered a fresh wave of imports between May and mid-October, sustained by consumer spending despite inflation.

NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold noted that West Coast ports experienced delays as containers waited to be transferred to rail. Despite these bottlenecks, he said most holiday merchandise has already entered the country and that retailers are coordinating with their transportation partners to keep remaining shipments moving.

At the Port Complex of Los Angeles and Long Beach, labor uncertainty persists: Local 26 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents about 250 security officers, and the Pacific Maritime Association extended their agreement until November 20 as negotiations continue, an extension that has already been renewed three times since the previous contract expired in July 2025. According to Ports News, both ports had their busiest month on record in September, with Los Angeles handling 1.04 million total TEUs, of which about 545,696 TEUs were loaded imports.

The Global Port Tracker forecasts that imports will decline for the remainder of 2026, though they would stay above last year's levels: it projects 2.26 million TEUs in October (+9.1% year-over-year), 2.05 million in November (+1.2%) and 2.03 million in December (+1.3%). For the full year, the forecast stands at 26 million TEUs, 2% above the 25.4 million recorded in 2025, with a slowdown expected heading into early 2027 that includes year-over-year declines in January, February and March.