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.

In January 2026, U.S. container import volumes were 2,318,722 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 4.1% month-over-month as volumes rebounded from December’s seasonal slowdown. China-origin imports increased 9.3% month-over-month but were down 22.7% year-over-year. Port transit delays showed modest changes in January, with no signs of widespread congestion.

The February update of the logistics metrics monitored by Descartes suggests a cautious trade environment, as ongoing tariff uncertainty and persistent geopolitical risk continue to complicate planning for importers.

U.S. container imports decline year-over-year but remain seasonally resilient.

January imports posted a 4.1% gain over December 2025 but were 6.8% lower than January 2025 (see Figure 1). Despite the year-over-year decrease, January 2026 volumes were slightly above the six-year average for the month and were up 11.8% over January 2019. In contrast to the suspected influence on January 2025 volumes of frontloading in advance of anticipated tariff changes, January 2026 volumes appear to reflect a more normalized import environment, with importers conditioned to ongoing trade policy uncertainty rather than reacting to it.

Figure 1. U.S. Container Import Volume Year-over-Year Comparison

Source: Descartes Datamyne™

Top countries of origin (CoO) volumes increase in January, led by China and India.

In January 2026, U.S. containerized imports from the top 10 CoO increased 7.0% month-over-month (see Figure 2). Growth was led by China, which rose 9.3% (65,304 TEUs), and India, which increased 22.0% (18,643 TEUs). Vietnam also posted a solid gain of 4.8% (13,337 TEUs), while Thailand increased 8.6% (9,533 TEUs) and Hong Kong rose 9.9% (6,267 TEUs). Declines were limited to two countries: Italy, which fell 16.4% (9,495 TEUs), and South Korea, which edged down 1.7% (1,535 TEUs). Overall, January’s increase reflects broad-based strength across major sourcing countries, with renewed momentum in China- and India-origin volumes.

Figure 2. December 2025 to January 2026 Comparison of U.S. Import Volumes from Top 10 Countries of Origin

Source: Descartes Datamyne™

“Entering 2026, trade policy and geopolitical risk continue to create uncertainty for global supply chains,” said Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes. “While these factors contribute to a cautious outlook for global trade, January 2026 volumes were slightly above the six-year average for the month, appearing to reflect a more normalized trade environment as U.S. importers become more conditioned to persistent volatility.”

Descartes began its global shipping analysis in August 2021. To read past monthly reports, learn more about the key economic and logistics factors driving global shipping, and review strategies to help address challenges in the near-, short-, and long-term, visit Descartes’ Global Shipping Resource Center.