U.S. seaborne imports from China dropped 28.5% year-over-year in May, the sharpest decline since the pandemic, according to supply chain technology provider Descartes.
As reported by Reuters, the drop reflects the impact of former President Donald Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. China remains the largest source of goods entering U.S. ports, especially in Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are crucial for major companies like Walmart and Ford.
Overall U.S. seaborne imports fell 7.2% in May to 2.18 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), ending a period of near-record growth as companies had been frontloading shipments to avoid new tariffs. West Coast ports were hit hardest, imports from China at Long Beach fell 31.6% and at Los Angeles 29.9%, Descartes reported. Top imports included furniture, bedding, plastics, machinery, toys, and sporting goods, Reuters informs.
Though the U.S. and China recently agreed to a 90-day pause on new tariffs, reducing some duties to 30%, Descartes noted that “China-origin imports may continue to soften” as businesses rethink sourcing strategies amid rising costs. Port officials and analysts expect a modest rebound in trade during the truce.
