June rebound as West Coast containers best East, Gulf ports

The shift in port dynamics was noticeable, with top West Coast ports regaining momentum. Los Angeles experienced a 29.1% increase in volume, adding 103,884 TEUs, while Long Beach saw an 18.8% rise, contributing an additional 58,492 TEUs. Tacoma’s volume increased by 33.3%, highlighting a strong performance on the West Coast.

Conversely, most East and Gulf Coast ports reported significant declines. Savannah saw a decrease of 16.9%, and Houston experienced a 15.8% drop in volumes. Overall, the top 10 U.S. ports handled a combined volume showing a 3.1% rise month-over-month.

China-origin import challenges

Despite a slight month-over-month increase of 0.4% to 639,300 TEUs, U.S. imports from China were down 28.3% from June 2024, reflecting the sustained impact of elevated tariffs and the rollback of the de minimis exemption. Categories such as furniture and plastics saw sharp year-over-year declines. With China-origin imports constituting only 28.8% of total U.S. imports — the lowest in four years — importers are pushing toward diversification, favoring Southeast Asian countries. Vietnam, for example, increased its export volumes to the U.S. by 7.7% over May, indicating a shift in sourcing strategies.

Port delays and efficiency improvements

Port delays improved notably in June, particularly at key West Coast ports such as Los Angeles and Long Beach, which saw reductions in congestion by 2.1 and 3.3 days, respectively. This improvement signals an easing of the bottlenecks prevalent in May. East and Gulf Coast ports, while experiencing smaller gains, remained more stable with minimal changes in transit times.

U.S.-China trade talks and global shipping disruptions

As of July 2025, the U.S.–China trade relationship remains under a temporary truce, with a framework agreement in development following May’s tariff reduction to 30%, down from 145%. However, upcoming deadlines in July and August could trigger renewed tensions if unresolved disputes persist. Meanwhile, worsening disruptions in the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks on shipping and Iran–Israel conflicts continue to impact global shipping routes, forcing carriers to reroute vessels, leading to higher costs and extended transit times.
Descartes had recommendations to manage supply chain risk:

1. Monitor tariff deadlines: With upcoming expirations of key tariff agreements, modeling the impacts of potential increases is critical for planning.
2. Assess port volumes and delays: Given the historical strain on U.S. logistics infrastructure at certain volumes, continuous monitoring is essential.
3. Track geopolitical risks: Ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts necessitate strategic assessments of routing options and potential alternatives.
4. Diverse sourcing: Evaluating supplier and factory locations can mitigate risks associated with over-reliance on specific regions, a crucial step in maintaining supply chain resilience.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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