CargoFax Trade Insights
U.S. Import Report February 2025
March 06, 2025
March 06, 2025
CargoFax presents the U.S. maritime import report for February 2025. This report covers key metrics such as shipments, containers, TEUs, and total tonnage, comparing month-over-month (January 2025), year-over-year (February 2024), and year-to-date (January 1st - February 28th).
Additionally, the report highlights trends in commodities, trading partners, U.S. ports of entry, and shipping lines. Focusing exclusively on maritime imports, this analysis provides valuable insights into the dynamics of U.S. import flows.
It is important to note that the data can change as Bills of Lading amendments come in, and the information presented is not final; it represents all BOL that pass through federal agency records.
In February 2025, total import shipments reached 2.6 million, reflecting a (12.3%) decrease from January. Container volumes followed a similar trend, declining by (12.3%) to 3.01 million containers. TEU volumes also declined (11.3%), with 4.51 million TEUs processed. Additionally, the weight of imported goods declined by (24.1%), totaling 57.55 billion kilograms. These figures indicate a general decline in U.S. maritime import activity for the month.
Compared to the previous year, import shipments grew 67.9%. This rise is accompanied by significant increases in other metrics: TEU volumes rose by 19.4%, container counts increased by 29.2%, and the weight of imported goods saw a slight 0.8% increase.
For the year-to-date (YTD), U.S. maritime imports presented a positive trend compared to the same period in 2024. Shipments grew by 75.7%, totaling 5.6 million. Additionally, container volumes increased by 34.9%, reaching 6.4 million, while TEUs also saw a growth of 23.2%, with 9.6 million units recorded. Furthermore, total tonnage increased by 16.8%, totaling 133.4 billion KG.
| February '25 | Shipments (millions) | TEUs (millions) | Containers (millions) | KG (billions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM | 2.597 | 4.508 | 3.009 | 57.553 |
| CM vs PM | (0.365) | (0.577) | (0.419) | (18.271) |
| CM vs PY | 1.050 | 0.732 | 0.679 | 0.431 |
| CM vs PM % | (12.3%) | (11.3%) | (12.2%) | (24.1%) |
| CM vs PY % | 67.9% | 19.4% | 29.2% | 0.8% |
| Year to Date | Shipments (millions) | TEUs (millions) | Containers (millions) | KG (billions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.558 | 9.592 | 6.436 | 133.376 |
| 2024 | 3.163 | 7.787 | 4.772 | 114.161 |
| 2023 | 2.830 | 7.290 | 4.465 | 108.527 |
| '24 vs '23 | 2.395 | 1.805 | 1.664 | 19.215 |
| 24 vs '22 | 2.728 | 2.302 | 1.971 | 24.849 |
| 24 vs '23 % | 75.7% | 23.2% | 34.9% | 16.8% |
| 24 vs '22 % | 96.4% | 31.6% | 44.2% | 22.9% |
In the following sections, we’ll focus primarily on TEUs as the key metric of analysis. However, if you’re interested in exploring additional dimensions like shipments, containers, or tonnage, CargoFax offers comprehensive access to these metrics and much more through our subscription plans.
Dive deeper into the data for detailed insights that can help optimize your business strategies.
Grouping commodities by HS chapters, Furniture (HS-94) ranked as the top imported commodity, representing 10% of total imports. Plastics (HS-39) followed closely at 7.2%, and Machinery and mechanical equipment (HS-84) came in third with a 7.1% share.
Month-over-month, the top-performing commodities were Tin (HS-80), Tobacco (HS-24), and Special fabrics and embroidery (HS-58), recording growth rates of 24.8%, 14.3%, and 6.7%, respectively. In contrast, Knitted or crocheted fabrics (HS-60), Apparel and clothing accessories (not knitted) (HS-62), and Apparel and clothing accessories (knitted) (HS-61) showed declines, dropping by (52.3%), (30.5%), and (20.5%), respectively.
| Commodity Section | TEUS | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% ∆) | CM vs PY (% ∆) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miscellaneous Articles | 674,939 | 15.0% | (10.1%) | 16.7% |
| 2 | Textiles | 660,736 | 14.7% | (19.4%) | 63.0% |
| 3 | Machinery & Appliances | 543,654 | 12.1% | (6.0%) | 3.4% |
| 4 | Base Metals | 470,534 | 10.4% | (7.9%) | 23.5% |
| 5 | Plastics & Rubber Articles | 433,129 | 9.6% | (13.2%) | 47.7% |
| 6 | Transport Equipment | 420,670 | 9.3% | (6.6%) | (9.5%) |
| 7 | Prepared Foodstuffs & Beverages | 228,100 | 5.1% | (8.6%) | 3.1% |
| 8 | Chemical Products | 194,452 | 4.3% | (9.6%) | 7.2% |
| 9 | Stone, Cement, & Glass | 187,028 | 4.1% | (1.4%) | 23.7% |
| 10 | Vegetable Products | 184,771 | 4.1% | (8.2%) | 9.3% |
| Other HS Sections | 509,752 | 11.3% | (17.7%) | 26.0% |
| Commodity Chapter | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HS-94 | Furniture and home goods | 452,340 | 10.0% | (9.5%) | 12.2% |
| 2 | HS-39 | Plastics and related articles | 324,871 | 7.2% | (14.7%) | 77.0% |
| 3 | HS-84 | Machinery and mechanical equipment | 320,168 | 7.1% | (3.9%) | 4.3% |
| 4 | HS-85 | Electrical machinery | 223,486 | 5.0% | (8.7%) | 2.1% |
| 5 | HS-86 | Railway and locomotives and parts | 218,966 | 4.9% | (4.1%) | (6.6%) |
| 6 | HS-63 | Other textile articles and clothing | 173,628 | 3.9% | (17.5%) | 90.1% |
| 7 | HS-87 | Vehicles and their parts | 165,462 | 3.7% | (10.3%) | (13.5%) |
| 8 | HS-95 | Toys, games, and sports equipment | 148,350 | 3.3% | (12.4%) | 26.9% |
| 9 | HS-62 | Apparel and clothing accessories (not knitted) | 137,745 | 3.1% | (30.5%) | 60.0% |
| 10 | HS-73 | Articles of iron or steel | 129,335 | 2.9% | (7.5%) | 23.8% |
| Other HS Chapters | 2,213,414 | 49.1% | (11.3%) | 20.4% |
For detailed insights into which commodities were imported by specific companies or countries, the complete dataset is available through a CargoFax subscription.
China remained the dominant country of origin, accounting for 53.2% of total U.S. TEU imports with over 2.4 million TEUs exported into the U.S. in February. South Korea and Vietnam followed, contributing 8.0% and 5.1%, respectively. Germany and Singapore completed the top five, with 2.6% and 2.5% of market share.
Jamaica recorded the largest increase in imports to the U.S., with a 60% rise compared to the previous month.
| Country of Origin | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 2,397,026 | 53.2% | (14.0%) | 53.7% |
| 2 | South Korea | 361,492 | 8.0% | (3.5%) | 17.6% |
| 3 | Vietnam | 230,424 | 5.1% | (14.1%) | (1.5%) |
| 4 | Germany | 116,713 | 2.6% | 14.5% | (11.8%) |
| 5 | Singapore | 112,709 | 2.5% | (18.8%) | (12.4%) |
| 6 | India | 110,967 | 2.5% | (7.7%) | 11.4% |
| 7 | Taiwan | 110,305 | 2.4% | (9.3%) | (5.5%) |
| 8 | Italy | 84,616 | 1.9% | (15.7%) | (10.0%) |
| 9 | Mexico | 72,810 | 1.6% | 33.4% | (11.8%) |
| 10 | Spain | 67,691 | 1.5% | 5.4% | 4.9% |
| Other Countries | 843,012 | 18.7% | (11.3%) | (11.9%) |
The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach led the nation in TEU volume, processing 1,210K and 855.8K TEUs, respectively. Compared to the previous month, The Port of Los Angeles had a decline of (6.1%) while the Port of Long Beach declined (33.7%). The Port of New York and New Jersey followed, handling 514.7K TEUs, down (2.8%) from the previous month. The Port of Savannah and Port Houston rounded out the top five ports, with 324.8K and 249.9K TEUs processed.
While most major ports saw a decrease, other ports experienced growth month over month, including The Port of Wilmington, NC; Port of New Orleans, LA; and Port of San Juan, PR. These ports averaged 67.1K TEUs and saw increases of 53.1%, 34.1%, and 22.0%, respectively.
| Port of Arrival | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port of Long Beach, California | 1,209,513 | 26.8% | (6.1%) | 105.6% |
| 2 | Port of Los Angeles, California | 855,807 | 19.0% | (33.7%) | 23.7% |
| 3 | Port of New York and New Jersey | 514,667 | 11.4% | (2.8%) | (11.1%) |
| 4 | Port of Savannah, Georgia | 324,753 | 7.2% | 8.4% | (1.1%) |
| 5 | Port of Houston, Texas | 249,862 | 5.5% | (14.4%) | (19.2%) |
| 6 | Port of Charleston, South Carolina | 183,841 | 4.1% | 16.6% | 2.9% |
| 7 | Port of Tacoma, Washington | 182,904 | 4.1% | (5.9%) | 37.1% |
| 8 | Port of Norfolk, Virginia | 158,694 | 3.5% | (12.2%) | (18.7%) |
| 9 | Port of Seattle, Washington | 156,578 | 3.5% | (11.3%) | 26.2% |
| 10 | Port of Oakland, California | 119,410 | 2.6% | 4.2% | 5.4% |
| Other Ports of Arrival | 551,736 | 12.2% | (1.6%) | 3.2% |
CMA led the market with 14.1% share of total imports, handling 637K TEUs. MSC and Oratel followed with 12.9% and 8.8% shares, respectively. Independent Container Line showed the largest growth in volume, with a 53.5% increase month-over-month.
The top five shipping lines accounted for 52.0% of total TEU volumes, while the top 10 captured 72.9% of the U.S. import market.
| Port of Arrival | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compagnie Maritime d'Affretement (CMA) | 637,417 | 14.1% | (33.6%) | 29.9% |
| 2 | MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company | 580,949 | 12.9% | (11.7%) | 3.5% |
| 3 | Oratel Networks | 395,039 | 8.8% | (8.1%) | (7.6%) |
| 4 | Maersk Line | 384,672 | 8.5% | (1.8%) | (6.8%) |
| 5 | Hapag-Lloyd Container Line | 344,889 | 7.7% | 4.9% | 6.9% |
| 6 | COSCO Container Lines Americas | 277,918 | 6.2% | (24.0%) | 9.6% |
| 7 | Evergreen Line | 235,283 | 5.2% | (16.3%) | 0.6% |
| 8 | Star Freight Solutions | 169,790 | 3.8% | (25.7%) | (15.3%) |
| 9 | Hyundai Merchant Marine | 134,847 | 3.0% | (7.9%) | 1.7% |
| 10 | Yang Ming Joint Service Agreement | 124,613 | 2.8% | (10.0%) | (11.1%) |
| Other Shipping Lines | 1,222,348 | 27.1% | 5.8% | 103.6% |
Looking for in-depth insights from this dataset? Whether you're interested in researching individual importers or exporters, analyzing particular trade routes, reviewing specific bills of lading, or understanding your current suppliers' trade network—CargoFax has you covered with exclusive data.
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