US Imports Set to Stabilize Heading Into Next Year: Supply Lines

US seaborne imports are poised to stabilize in 2026, as cargo owners facing President Donald Trump’s trade barriers seek to further diversify global supply chains and adapt to American consumers increasingly worried about the cost of living.

According to the Global Port Tracker report released Monday by the National Retail Federation and and Hackett Associates, 2.07 million 20-foot container units were unloaded in October. That’s down 1.8% from September and a nearly 8% drop from the previous October.

The report projects November will be down 11.6% and December will be off 12.7%. While the fourth quarter is typically slower, the ...