Peak cargo shipping season is expected to extend past the holiday season thanks to the 90-day pause in the proposed US tariffs on China should importers continue to increase inventories during the break.
Major US ports have already seen record volumes this year. The Port of Los Angeles set a record in October for the most cargo handled in a single month in the Port’s 111-year history. This was a 27.2% increase over last year.
Much of this increased traffic is attributed to companies stockpiling ahead of the proposed 15% US tariff that was postponed by President Donald Trump at the G20 meeting in Argentina.
With the threat of tariff increases in April and the shutdown of manufacturing in February for Chinese New Year, industry analysts like Neil Dekker are warning that importers will need to move inventory sooner in the year. This could cause an unusual spike at the ports in the Spring.