CargoFax Trade Insights
U.S. Import Report March 2025
April 04, 2025
April 04, 2025
CargoFax presents the U.S. maritime import report for March 2025. This report covers key metrics such as shipments, containers, TEUs, and total tonnage, comparing month-over-month (February 2025), year-over-year (March 2024), and year-to-date (January 1st - March 31st).
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 March 2025, total import shipments reached 2.71 million, reflecting a 4.3% increase from February. Container volumes followed a similar trend, increasing by 4.3% to 3.13 million containers. TEU volumes declined (0.2%), with 4.50 million TEUs processed. Additionally, the weight of imported goods increased by 7.7%, totaling 62.00 billion kilograms. These figures indicate a general growth in U.S. maritime import activity for the month.
Compared to the previous year, import shipments grew 69.8%. This increase is accompanied by significant increases in other metrics: TEU volumes rose by 16.5%, container counts increased by 30.0%, and the weight of imported goods saw a 6.8% 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 73.7%, totaling 8.3 million. Additionally, container volumes increased by 33.2%, reaching 9.6 million, while TEUs also saw a growth of 21.0%, with 14.1 million units recorded. Furthermore, total tonnage increased by 13.5%, totaling 195.4 billion KG.
| March '25 | Shipments (millions) | TEUs (millions) | Containers (millions) | KG (billions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM | 2.709 | 4.499 | 3.131 | 61.997 |
| CM vs PM | 0.112 | (0.009) | 0.122 | 4.444 |
| CM vs PY | 1.113 | 0.636 | 0.722 | 3.965 |
| CM vs PM % | 4.3% | (0.2%) | 4.1% | 7.7% |
| CM vs PY % | 69.8% | 16.5% | 30.0% | 6.8% |
| Year to Date | Shipments (millions) | TEUs (millions) | Containers (millions) | KG (billions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.267 | 14.091 | 9.567 | 195.374 |
| 2024 | 4.759 | 11.649 | 7.181 | 172.193 |
| 2023 | 4.174 | 10.604 | 6.511 | 176.865 |
| '24 vs '23 | 3.508 | 2.441 | 2.386 | 23.180 |
| 24 vs '22 | 4.093 | 3.486 | 3.056 | 18.508 |
| 24 vs '23 % | 73.7% | 21.0% | 33.2% | 13.5% |
| 24 vs '22 % | 98.1% | 32.9% | 46.9% | 10.5% |
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 9.3% of total imports. Machinery and mechanical equipment (HS-84) followed closely at 7.4%, and Plastics (HS-39) came in third with a 6.9% share.
Month-over-month, the top-performing commodities were Dairy produce and eggs (HS-04), Meat (HS-02), and Adult Beverages and spirits (HS-22), recording growth rates of 24.5%, 24.2%, and 19.8%, respectively. In contrast, Special fabrics (HS-58), Footwear (HS-64), and Toys, games, and sports equipment (HS-95) showed declines, dropping by (23.4%), (17.4%), and (10.4%), respectively.
Additionally, Pearls, precious stones, metals, imitation jewelry, and coins (HS-71) saw a significant 31.3% increase month-over-month, with a notable 156.4% growth year-over-year. Its volume of 34.7K TEUs remained below the average 49.1K TEUs typically seen in most commodity chapters.
| Commodity Section | TEUS | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% ∆) | CM vs PY (% ∆) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Textiles | 648,751 | 14.4% | (1.8%) | 54.9% |
| 2 | Miscellaneous Articles | 619,588 | 13.8% | (8.2%) | 13.1% |
| 3 | Machinery & Appliances | 559,110 | 12.4% | 2.8% | (1.3%) |
| 4 | Base Metals | 470,006 | 10.4% | (0.1%) | 25.3% |
| 5 | Plastics & Rubber Articles | 434,363 | 9.7% | 0.3% | 53.2% |
| 6 | Transport Equipment | 424,912 | 9.4% | 1.0% | (15.3%) |
| 7 | Prepared Foodstuffs & Beverages | 255,258 | 5.7% | 11.9% | 1.3% |
| 8 | Chemical Products | 210,652 | 4.7% | 8.3% | 3.9% |
| 9 | Vegetable Products | 193,232 | 4.3% | 4.6% | 3.9% |
| 10 | Stone, Cement, & Glass | 180,559 | 4.0% | (3.5%) | 14.5% |
| Other HS Sections | 502,340 | 11.2% | (1.5%) | 35.7% |
| Commodity Chapter | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HS-94 | Furniture and home goods | 417,900 | 9.3% | (7.6%) | 12.4% |
| 2 | HS-84 | Machinery and mechanical equipment | 332,035 | 7.4% | 3.7% | (0.5%) |
| 3 | HS-39 | Plastics and related articles | 312,581 | 6.9% | (3.8%) | 84.5% |
| 4 | HS-85 | Electrical machinery | 227,075 | 5.0% | 1.6% | (2.4%) |
| 5 | HS-86 | Railway and locomotives and parts | 203,466 | 4.5% | (7.1%) | (21.7%) |
| 6 | HS-87 | Vehicles and their parts | 183,794 | 4.1% | 11.1% | (6.3%) |
| 7 | HS-63 | Other textile articles and clothing | 162,613 | 3.6% | (6.3%) | 61.4% |
| 8 | HS-62 | Apparel and clothing accessories (not knitted) | 140,198 | 3.1% | 1.8% | 75.5% |
| 9 | HS-73 | Articles of iron or steel | 136,007 | 3.0% | 5.2% | 31.6% |
| 10 | HS-95 | Toys, games, and sports equipment | 132,892 | 3.0% | (10.4%) | 19.0% |
| Other HS Chapters | 2,250,210 | 50.0% | 1.7% | 18.3% |
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 47.0% of total U.S. TEU imports with over 2.1 million TEUs exported into the U.S. in March. South Korea and Vietnam followed, contributing 7.9% and 5.7%, respectively. Germany and India completed the top five, with 3.5% and 2.9% of market share.
Japan recorded the largest increase in imports to the U.S., with a 93.5% increase compared to the previous month.
| Country of Origin | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 2,113,074 | 47.0% | (11.8%) | 44.3% |
| 2 | South Korea | 355,980 | 7.9% | (1.5%) | (12.0%) |
| 3 | Vietnam | 254,228 | 5.7% | 10.3% | 33.7% |
| 4 | Germany | 155,792 | 3.5% | 33.5% | 7.6% |
| 5 | India | 128,304 | 2.9% | 15.6% | 14.3% |
| 6 | Singapore | 125,565 | 2.8% | 11.4% | 5.3% |
| 7 | Taiwan | 111,573 | 2.5% | 1.1% | 4.2% |
| 8 | Italy | 102,649 | 2.3% | 21.3% | 1.6% |
| 9 | Thailand | 85,473 | 1.9% | 34.1% | 28.5% |
| 10 | Mexico | 82,049 | 1.8% | 12.7% | 5.3% |
| Other Countries | 984,084 | 21.9% | 16.2% | (8.4%) |
The Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles led the nation in TEU volume, processing 1,287K and 640.7K TEUs, respectively. Compared to the previous month, The Port of Long Beach had a increase of 6.4% while the Port of Los Angeles declined of (25.1%). The Port of New York and New Jersey followed, handling 524.1K TEUs, marking a 1.8% increase from the previous month. The Port of Savannah recorded 364.9K TEUs and grew by 12.4%. Lastly, Port Houston completed the top five ports, processing 303.8K TEUs with a growth rate of 21.6%.
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 | 1,286,742 | 28.6% | 6.4% | 88.5% |
| 2 | Port of Los Angeles, California | 640,731 | 14.2% | (25.1%) | 3.3% |
| 3 | Port of New York and New Jersey | 524,119 | 11.7% | 1.8% | (13.6%) |
| 4 | Port of Savannah, Georgia | 364,890 | 8.1% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| 5 | Port of Houston, Texas | 303,760 | 6.8% | 21.6% | 6.7% |
| 6 | Port of Tacoma, Washington | 194,546 | 4.3% | 6.4% | 19.2% |
| 7 | Port of Norfolk, Virginia | 187,868 | 4.2% | 18.4% | (7.4%) |
| 8 | Port of Charleston, South Carolina | 167,690 | 3.7% | (8.8%) | (10.3%) |
| 9 | Port of Oakland, California | 120,675 | 2.7% | 1.1% | (4.5%) |
| 10 | Port of Seattle, Washington | 118,173 | 2.6% | (24.5%) | (11.4%) |
| Other Ports of Arrival | 589,577 | 13.1% | 6.9% | 10.0% |
ZIM led the market with 19.8% share of total imports, handling 890K TEUs. MSC and CMA followed with 12.8% and 10.3% shares, respectively. Hede International Shipping Limited showed the largest growth in volume, with a 406.6% increase month-over-month.
The top five shipping lines accounted for 60.5% of total TEU volumes, while the top 10 captured 86.0% of the U.S. import market.
| Port of Arrival | CM TEUs | Market Share % | CM vs PM (% Δ) | CM vs PY (% Δ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZIM Navigation Co Ltd | 890,142 | 19.8% | 10.4% | 306.1% |
| 2 | MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company | 576,820 | 12.8% | (0.1%) | 1.8% |
| 3 | Compagnie Maritime d'Affretement (CMA) | 463,477 | 10.3% | (27.1%) | (11.8%) |
| 4 | Maersk Line | 406,550 | 9.0% | 5.9% | (6.1%) |
| 5 | Hapag-Lloyd Container Line | 386,215 | 8.6% | 12.4% | 13.7% |
| 6 | Oratel Networks | 357,803 | 8.0% | (9.4%) | (9.9%) |
| 7 | COSCO Container Lines Americas | 262,776 | 5.8% | (5.4%) | 6.4% |
| 8 | Evergreen Line | 217,379 | 4.8% | (7.6%) | 10.9% |
| 9 | Star Freight Solutions | 194,965 | 4.3% | 14.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 | Hyundai Merchant Marine | 115,026 | 2.6% | (14.6%) | (16.1%) |
| Other Shipping Lines | 627,618 | 14.0% | 14.3% | 0.3% |
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