Below is the latest edition of Modern Retail’s Supply Chain Weekly newsletter, which goes out on Mondays at 10 a.m. ET, and dives into all things logistics and supply chain during a tumultuous time for the retail industry. To receive this weekly in your inbox, click here.Peak import season is here, with global trade policies and changing consumer habits pushing imports to record highs.
New data from the Global Port Tracker, published by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, shows that in July there will be an estimated all-time high of 2.47 million 20-foot-equivalent units (the container metric known as TEUs) docking at U.S. ports. Data from May shows that 2.24 million TEUs came through, an increase of 14.9% from May 2025 when Liberation Day tariffs slowed activity.
Jonathan Gold, NRF’s vice president of supply chain and customs policy, said July and August are typically the busiest months of the year for imports as companies get ready for the holidays. That has picked up in recent years as shoppers pull their holiday shopping forward.
But this year has added uncertainties that are making companies want to get goods faster. Beyond the war in Iran and fuel price instability, brands may face new tariffs of 10-12.5% on imports from 60 different countries that could take effect in August. Many brands are shipping earlier in the summer to avoid having their cargo in the water when the new tariffs hit, Gold said.
