2025 Summer Shipping Outlook: Retailers Brace for Import Slowdown
As the summer of 2025 approaches, the U.S. shipping industry is bracing for shifting import trends influenced by tariff concerns, evolving trade policies, and potential new fees on China-manufactured ships. Retailers have accelerated their import activity in response to these uncertainties, but forecasts indicate that this surge may not last through the second half of the year. Retailers Front-Load Imports Amid Tariff Concerns According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), import volumes at major U.S. ports remain high through early 2025, with particularly strong activity at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. However, the NRF has adjusted its second-quarter import forecast downward by 2.5 percent. The organization now anticipates the first year-over-year declines in imports since September 2023, beginning in June and continuing through the summer. Jonathan Gold, Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy at NRF, emphasized the ongoing efforts ...