Georgia, February 10, 2025 -- Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, released its February Global Shipping Report for logistics and supply chain professionals.
U.S. container imports reached a record for the month of January at 2,487,470 TEUs. The surge comes amid a backdrop of tariff volatility, with the U.S. imposing a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods as of February 4 while more aggressive 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada were paused until March to allow for further negotiations. Despite elevated volumes for a seventh consecutive month, overall port transit time delays are not significantly lengthening at the top 10 U.S. ports. Imports from China were up for a second month, with January volumes reaching 997,909 TEUs, a notable 10.6% rise over December and just 2.4% shy of the all-time high of 1,022,912 TEUs set in July 2024. The February update of the logistics metrics monitored by Descartes underscores a strong start to 2025; however, new U.S. tariffs on China, continuing trade policy tensions and ongoing geopolitical instability in the Middle East are adding uncertainty for businesses with global supply chains.
U.S. container import volumes hit new high for the month of January.
At 2,487,470 TEUs, U.S. container imports in January 2025 reached record-breaking volumes for the month, surpassing the previous record in January 2022 by 21,455 TEUs. Compared to December 2024, January 2025 volumes were up by 5.1% and by 9.4% over January 2024.
“The impact of new and potential tariffs, coupled with a late Chinese Lunar New Year (January 29 – February 12), may have contributed to higher U.S. container imports in January,” said Jackson Wood, Director, Industry Strategy at Descartes. “These trade policy developments add significant uncertainty to global supply chains, increasing concerns about rising import costs and supply chain disruptions. As trade tensions escalate, businesses and consumers alike may face the risk of higher prices and prolonged market volatility.”
The February report is Descartes’ forty-second installment since beginning its analysis in August 2021. To read past reports, learn more about the key economic and logistics factors driving global shipping, and review strategies to help address it in the near-, short- and long-term, visit Descartes’ Global Shipping Resource Center.
About Descartes
Descartes is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ solution offerings and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes’ most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.