Imports Rush to Land Before Port Strike and Tariff Uncertainty
Containerized imports are on the rise as retailers and shippers rush to beat possible East and Gulf Coast longshore strikes and looming tariffs from the incoming Trump administration. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports a 9.3% year-over-year increase for October imports, totaling 2.25 million TEUs. Projections for November and December show similar growth, with imports expected to rise 14.4% and 14.3% year-over-year, respectively. For all of 2024, total import volume is forecast to reach 25.6 million TEUs, up 14.8% from 2023.
Major retailers like Walmart, Macy’s, and Target are frontloading inventory to avoid disruptions, reflecting industry-wide urgency. The NRF has called on port employers and longshore unions to restart negotiations and urged the incoming administration to avoid broad tariff applications, which could drive up consumer prices.
This surge in demand comes as rail intermodal container volumes also hit record highs, signaling an intense logistics crunch. TLC is responding by expanding capacity, streamlining port-to-warehouse transfers, and providing clients with priority scheduling to avoid delays. Contact us today to secure your freight capacity before peak congestion hits.
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