2.31 Million TEU and Counting: The US Import Peak Season That Refused to End

The Peak Season That Refused to End

Back in August, most industry watchers were ready to close the book on the US import rush. The tariff-driven front-loading had happened. The shelves were stocked. The peak, everyone assumed, was over.

Then September arrived — and the peak didn't leave.

According to the National Retail Federation's (NRF) latest Global Port Tracker report, released on September 9, US major container ports are expected to handle 2.31 million TEU in September — a 9.6% year-over-year increase, slightly above July's 2.3 million TEU, and on track to become the single busiest month of 2026.

The season everyone expected to end quietly in late summer has been stretched into autumn. And for anyone shipping from Asia to the US, that changes the math.

Why everyone thought the peak was already over

2026 was never a normal year for US imports.

Faced with shifting tariff policy and persistent supply chain uncertainty, retailers began pulling cargo forward early in the year. Containers that would normally sail in late summer were booked in spring. By August, the conventional wisdom was simple: the front-loading had finished, and import volumes would start sliding.

That slide never came.

Why the surge kept going

The NRF points to several forces stretching the season:

• Chinese weather disruptions. Recent bad weather in China delayed vessels, pushing cargo arrivals later than planned.
• Panama Canal uncertainty. With drought risks looming over the canal, some carriers rerouted, shifting arrival windows and tightening schedules.
• Consumer demand that won't quit. As Jonathan Gold, NRF's Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy, put it: despite tariffs, inflation, and higher fuel costs, consumers are still buying, and retailers still need to import goods to meet demand.

In other words, the pre-positioned cargo didn't cancel the peak — it just moved part of it earlier. The rest, driven by ongoing restocking, simply kept coming.

The ports can feel it

The data from the ground confirms the trend.

On September 9, the Port of Los Angeles reported its August volumes: 955,907 TEU — the highest August on record for the port. Even more striking, from June through August, Los Angeles handled roughly 2.9 million TEU across three consecutive months — the busiest three-month stretch in the port's history, surpassing even the pandemic-era peak.

What's driving the flow? Holiday merchandise — Halloween, Thanksgiving, and year-end festive goods — is being imported earlier than ever. Reuters reported that retailers this year moved up their holiday imports significantly to hedge against tariff changes and rising fuel costs.

So the 2026 story isn't a peak that ended early. It's a peak that split — part pulled forward, part still running — creating a longer, flatter, and more demanding import cycle than anyone planned for.

What happens after September?

Is September the ceiling? According to Global Port Tracker, it might be the last major spike — but not a cliff:

• October: ~2.11 million TEU (+1.7%)
• November: ~2.0 million TEU (-0.9%)
• December: ~2.03 million TEU (+1.1%)
• Full year 2026: ~25.7 million TEU (+1.0%)

There's no sign of a sudden collapse in demand after September. What the market will likely see is a gradual return to normal seasonality from October onward.

What this means for your shipments right now

The uncomfortable truth for shippers and forwarders: September still looks like the busiest month of the year on the US import side. Planning your shipments as if "the peak is over" could be an expensive mistake.

Watch four things closely over the coming weeks:

1. Schedule reliability — weather delays and rerouting mean blank sailings and late arrivals are more likely.
2. Destination port congestion — record volumes at hubs like Los Angeles mean chassis, labor, and yard pressure.
3. Panama Canal conditions — drought-driven restrictions can silently add days to transit times.
4. Carrier capacity adjustments — expect tighter space and higher rates while the surge lasts.

If your cargo is still in the pipeline, don't assume September is business as usual. Book early, add buffer time, and work with a logistics partner who can see around the corner.

When every day of delay costs you money, choose door-to-door certainty

The longer the peak stretches, the more valuable one thing becomes: a freight solution that removes the guesswork.

That's exactly what DDP Shipping China to USA | Door to Door Sea & Air Freight is built for. From pickup in China to delivery at your US doorstep, one partner handles ocean or air freight, customs clearance, duties, and final-mile delivery — with transparent door-to-door pricing that keeps tariff and fee surprises off your invoice.

In a market where the peak season no longer follows the calendar, the shippers who win are the ones who plan with certainty. Your cargo doesn't have to ride the wave alone — let us handle the entire journey.