As tariffs loom, front-loading will be the key trend for US container trade

Photo: © trekandshoot

US container trade trends were in rude health in 2024, and the second Trump administration will inherit a relatively favourable backdrop, in terms of spending growth and inventory levels relative to sales, but it is likely that volume trends will become increasingly driven by reactions to the president’s actions on tariffs.

Our headline takeaway is that tariff anticipation, in combination with the prospect of a further east coast labour strike this month, is likely to extend a healthy period of US ...