US container imports set all-time volume record in October as Chinese imports spike, Descartes says 

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By Lisa Baertlein

LOS ANGELES, Nov 11 (Reuters) – US container ports hit an all-time record for import volume in October, driven in part by a surge in cargo from China, supply chain technology provider Descartes Systems Group said on Wednesday.

• Ports processed 2,674,808 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of import cargo in October, a 16% rise from the year earlier and a record for any month.

• The previous record was set in May 2022 with 2,622,465 TEUs.

• Import volume from China reached 987,805 TEUs, the highest volume since January 2025 and the fourth consecutive monthly gain.

• Imports from China jumped 22.9% year-over-year, led by plastic goods, furniture and bedding, and toys, games and sporting goods.

• Import volume for the first 10 months of 2026 was up 2.3% from the same period last year.

• US imports of containerized goods dropped in October 2025 on plunging shipments from China due to concerns over President Donald Trump’s evolving tariff policies.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )

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