Slumping September Imports Deconstructed and Explained

U.S. import volume in September declined 11.0% year-on-year though still registered 9% above September 2019 volumes. The decline was most pronounced at West Coast ports particularly prone to a pull back of imports from China. Notably, all Top 10 U.S. ports felt the effect of the decline, with drops ranging from 2% – 25%, signaling a more structural softening in the market vis-à-vis the pattern of regional tradeoffs of shippers avoiding congestion and West Coast uncertainty. Descartes digs into the data and explores 4th quarter supply chain risks and mitigation recommendations.