Washington’s tariffs were supposed to make American businesses reconsider their dependence on Chinese manufacturing. However, the latest shipping figures tell a more complicated story.
A new report from Canadian logistics technology company Descartes Systems Group reveals that U.S. containerized imports from China surged 21.2% in September 2026 compared with the same month last year. Chinese shipments reached 924,454 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), while overall U.S. container imports climbed to their highest September level on record.
The unexpected increase raises questions about the effectiveness of President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign and highlights the enduring importance of Chinese manufacturing to American businesses. However, the figures also require careful interpretation. A sharp decline in imports during 2025, changing tariff rules, and resilient demand for everyday products all help explain why trade continues to grow despite political pressure.
Chinese Imports Jumped 21.2% in September
The headline finding from Descartes Systems Group’s October 8 report was a substantial rebound in Chinese shipments entering American ports. During September 2026, imports from China reached 924,454 TEUs, an increase of 161,682 TEUs compared with September 2025. The figure also represented a 4.5% increase from August, demonstrating that the recovery was not limited to the year-over-year comparison.
China’s share of total U.S. containerized imports increased from 34.0% in August to 36.3% in September. For American retailers and distributors, that represents an enormous volume of merchandise continuing to move through established supply chains. Furniture, household products, machinery, and consumer goods remain important parts of the relationship. The increase is particularly noteworthy because tariffs have made sourcing decisions more complicated and expensive. Nevertheless, the figures do not establish whether individual businesses are purchasing more products, absorbing higher costs, or adjusting their inventory strategies. What they confirm is that Chinese-origin cargo remains a major component of American maritime trade.
U.S. Ports Recorded Their Busiest September on Record
The resurgence in Chinese shipments occurred alongside a broader increase in American container imports. Descartes reported that U.S. ports processed approximately 2.55 million TEUs in September 2026, representing a 10.3% increase over the same month in 2025. That made September the busiest September on record for containerized imports, surpassing previous levels despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding trade policies.
However, the monthly comparison reveals a more nuanced picture. September imports actually declined 2.2% from August, when approximately 2.60 million TEUs entered the country. That decline is not necessarily surprising, since cargo volumes frequently moderate after the late-summer shipping season. What stands out is that September’s total was still 24.8% higher than the corresponding month in 2019, before the pandemic disrupted global trade. The figures suggest American companies continue to rely heavily on overseas suppliers. For warehouses, trucking companies, and port operators, that dependence translates into substantial cargo movements regardless of the political debate surrounding tariffs.
Last Year’s Import Decline Makes the Rebound More Significant
One important detail behind the 21.2% increase is the unusually weak comparison period. In September 2025, Chinese-origin container imports fell to approximately 762,772 TEUs, representing a 22.9% decline from September 2024. That downturn occurred during a period of considerable tariff uncertainty, as businesses adjusted purchasing decisions and shipping schedules in response to changing trade restrictions.
The September 2026 increase therefore represents a recovery from an already depressed level rather than an uninterrupted expansion. Descartes also reported that Chinese-origin shipments remained 9.6% below their July 2024 peak of 1,022,913 TEUs. This distinction is essential when interpreting the latest numbers. A business that sharply reduced orders during one year could report substantial growth the next without returning to its previous purchasing levels. The available data demonstrate a meaningful improvement in Chinese shipping activity, but they do not establish that tariffs have had no effect on trade. Instead, they reveal how comparisons with unusually weak periods can make a recovery appear more dramatic.
Everyday Consumer Products Are Driving Much of the Activity
The types of goods arriving from China help explain why the trading relationship remains difficult to disrupt. According to Descartes, plastics represented the largest category of Chinese-origin container imports in September, accounting for 135,097 TEUs, or 14.6% of the total. Furniture and bedding followed with 123,574 TEUs, while toys and sporting goods accounted for another 92,842 TEUs.
These are familiar products found in homes, retail stores, and distribution warehouses throughout the United States. Large retailers such as Walmart and Costco sell merchandise in many of these categories, although the shipping figures do not identify the final buyer of every container. The increases were also substantial across several categories. Plastic products recorded 30.2% year-over-year growth, while electrical machinery rose 23.0%. Furniture and bedding increased 11.9%. The breadth of these gains illustrates why replacing established manufacturing networks can be complicated. American importers must consider not only tariff costs but also supplier capacity, product availability, production schedules, and the difficulty of changing longstanding commercial relationships.
Higher Import Volumes Do Not Mean Tariffs Have Stopped Hurting Businesses
Although Chinese shipments increased, separate economic research demonstrates that tariffs can still create significant costs for American businesses and consumers. An October 2026 analysis by Federal Reserve Bank of New York researchers found that every percentage-point increase in average tariffs raises consumer goods prices by approximately 0.25% after a year. The effects extend beyond imported merchandise, because American manufacturers also face higher costs for foreign components and materials.
Businesses frequently respond by raising prices, accepting smaller profits, or combining both approaches. Research examining American small businesses found that approximately 80% of surveyed goods and retail firms passed at least some higher imported-input costs to customers during 2025. Around 60% also absorbed some of those increases internally. These findings help explain how imports can remain strong even when tariffs are financially disruptive. A retailer might continue ordering from an established Chinese supplier because switching manufacturers would create other costs or shortages. The merchandise still arrives, but the financial consequences may ultimately be shared among businesses and shoppers.
Trump’s Tariff Rules Have Also Changed Significantly
The legal landscape surrounding American tariffs has undergone considerable changes during 2026. On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs imposed by President Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The 6-3 decision determined that the emergency-powers law did not authorize the president to impose those duties. However, the ruling did not eliminate every tariff affecting international commerce.
Other trade measures, including duties established under Sections 301 and 232, remained relevant for businesses importing products into the United States. The Trump administration also pursued alternative tariff authorities after the Supreme Court decision. These developments created a complicated environment in which applicable duties could vary substantially depending on the merchandise and its country of origin. For importers, an order that appeared financially unattractive under one tariff arrangement might become more viable after a legal or regulatory change. Nevertheless, the Descartes figures do not identify how much of September’s increase resulted from these policy adjustments. They show the outcome of trade decisions, rather than conclusively establishing what motivated each purchase.
China Accounted for Most of the Growth Among Major Exporting Countries
China’s September performance becomes even more striking when compared with other major countries supplying American ports. Descartes found that imports from the ten leading countries of origin increased 13.1% year over year, representing an additional 213,339 TEUs. China alone contributed approximately 76% of that net increase, demonstrating how influential Chinese manufacturers remained within the broader recovery.
Other trading partners also recorded gains, although their performance varied. Container imports from Vietnam increased 4.3% compared with September 2025, while South Korea recorded 9.9% growth. Japan experienced a much larger percentage increase of 24.3%. However, on a month-over-month basis, Vietnam’s shipments declined 2.1%, while China’s increased 4.5%. These differences demonstrate that the movement of manufacturing and sourcing relationships is rarely straightforward. American businesses can establish relationships with alternative suppliers while continuing to purchase substantial quantities from China. Rather than demonstrating a complete withdrawal from Chinese manufacturing, the September figures suggest a complicated international sourcing environment in which established suppliers continue competing successfully for American orders.
West Coast Ports Are Benefiting From Shifting Shipping Patterns
The increase in imports was not distributed evenly across American ports. According to Descartes, the Port of Los Angeles recorded an 8.8% increase in containerized imports from August to September, representing approximately 43,552 additional TEUs. Long Beach experienced 5.9% growth, while Oakland recorded an even stronger percentage increase of 14.4%. Meanwhile, other major gateways experienced declines, including Houston, where imports fell 16.5%, and Savannah, which recorded a 9.6% decrease.
These changes resulted in the five leading West Coast ports accounting for 46.7% of total U.S. container imports during September. The five leading East and Gulf Coast gateways represented 39.7%. The regional differences matter because port selection influences transportation routes, warehouse operations, and delivery schedules. For a business importing goods manufactured in Asia, choosing a West Coast gateway can create different logistics requirements than routing shipments through eastern ports. Although the figures cover imports from all origins, they illustrate how changing trade flows affect the American transportation network beyond the international shipping industry itself.
Rising Port Delays Reveal Another Challenge for Importers
Higher import volumes do not necessarily translate into smoother supply chains. Descartes found that its measure of port transit delays increased at eight of the ten leading U.S. gateways during September. New York and New Jersey experienced the largest increase, with average delays rising 1.5 days to 8.3 days. Houston recorded a 1.4-day increase, bringing its average to 7.2 days, while Oakland’s measure rose to 6.4 days.
Importantly, Descartes calculates these delays by comparing the originally reported estimated arrival date with the date customs-processed shipping information becomes available. The figures should therefore not be interpreted simply as the number of days containers spend waiting on docks. Nevertheless, inconsistent arrival schedules can create practical difficulties for distributors managing transportation, staffing, and inventory. A retailer preparing for seasonal sales may need to coordinate suppliers, warehouses, and trucking services around expected deliveries. When shipments arrive later than anticipated, businesses face additional planning challenges. The September figures demonstrate that growing international trade can coexist with operational pressures.
Why Canada’s Businesses Should Pay Attention to the Findings
The research carries particular significance for Canada because Descartes Systems Group is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, and Canadian businesses are deeply connected to American supply chains. Recent Canadian trade figures illustrate how sensitive that relationship has become. Statistics Canada reported that Canadian exports to the United States increased 8.1% in August 2026, while the country’s overall merchandise trade surplus reached C$4.2 billion. The export increase occurred as businesses navigated announcements of additional American tariffs on Canadian products.
However, Canada’s trade statistics and the Descartes container figures measure different activities. The 21.2% Chinese increase concerns U.S. maritime container imports, not the extensive cross-border truck and rail trade that connects Canadian and American businesses. It does not demonstrate that Canada has lost market share to China. Furthermore, total U.S. container imports increased only 0.8% during the first nine months of 2026, suggesting September’s surge should not be treated as evidence of uninterrupted growth. For Canadian manufacturers, exporters, and logistics providers, the broader message concerns the resilience of established trading relationships. Despite tariffs and political pressure, commercial ties remain difficult to dismantle, and future trade patterns will depend on costs, consumer demand, and evolving government policies.
