In May, U.S. ocean imports saw a significant decline due to President Donald Trump’s temporary imposition of a 145% tariff on a wide range of goods from China. According to data from Descartes Datamyne, this steep tariff disrupted trade at several of the busiest U.S. seaports.
A recent announcement between the two largest economies aimed to establish a trade deal framework that would reduce tariffs on China back to a prior 30% rate, pending final approval. This would add to the existing 25% tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term, resulting in a total tariff rate of 55%.
China remains the largest supplier of goods to the U.S. that arrive via maritime routes—these shipments are crucial for retailers like Walmart and major manufacturers, including the automotive sector. The West Coast ports, which handle a substantial portion of imports from China, experienced significant year-over-year decreases in volume during May.
For instance, Long Beach saw a drop of 20.9%, while Los Angeles reported an 8.5% decline. Washington state’s Seattle port fell by 17.3%, and Tacoma experienced a staggering 39.4% decrease.
On the East Coast, the Port of New York and New Jersey recorded a 15.3% drop in import volume, with Norfolk, Virginia, declining 14.7% and Wilmington, North Carolina, facing a 17.6% reduction. Gulf Coast ports, such as Houston and Mobile, Alabama, also reported declines of 3.4% and 20.4%, respectively.
Overall, U.S. imports of goods from China plunged 28.5% year-over-year in May. Despite a temporary tariff truce that lowered rates to 30%, importers are cautious.
The head of the Port of Los Angeles has indicated that while there may be a temporary increase in bookings, significant volumes are unlikely due to the continuing elevated costs associated with the tariffs.