Import Cargo’s Peak Season Not Over Yet
“We thought the peak season would be mostly behind us by now, but that’s not the case.”
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 — This year’s extended peak season is continuing, with a final bump expected this month that could push September just over the line to be the busiest month of the year for import volume at the nation’s major container ports, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
“We thought the peak season would be mostly behind us by now, but that’s not the case,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Some of the shift from earlier in the summer to now is because of vessel delays due to bad weather in China and some rerouting away from the Panama Canal amid potential drought conditions there. But consumers keep buying despite tariffs, inflation and high fuel prices, and retailers keep bringing in merchandise to meet demand.”
“Imports have remained buoyant over the past three months despite several hurdles,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said, citing tariff increases along with inflation and rising fuel prices related to the conflict in Iran. “Retail sales remain strong and cargo is moving relatively smoothly, although there are reports of vessel delays and increased times required for cargo to move through the supply chain.”
U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units — one 20-foot container or its equivalent — in July, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was down 3.9% from a year earlier but up 3.2% from June.
Ports have not yet reported August numbers, but Global Port Tracker projected the month at 2.29 million TEU, down 1.3% year over year. September is forecast at 2.31 million TEU, up 9.6% year over year and slightly ahead of July as the busiest month of the year.
As recently as last month, it appeared that May’s 2.24 million TEU would be the busiest month of 2026 as retailers brought in merchandise early ahead of potential increases in tariffs. But high import levels continued, stretching out the peak season to its traditional timing of late summer and early fall.
Cargo volume is expected to drop to 2.11 million TEU in October, but will still be up 1.7% year over year. November is forecast at 2 million TEU, down 0.9% year over year, and December at 2.03 million TEU, up 1.1% over last year. Those numbers would bring 2026 to a total of 25.7 million TEU, up 1% from last year’s 25.4 million TEU. The first half of 2026 totaled 12.7 million TEU, up 1.1% from the same period in 2025.
January 2027 is forecast at 2.09 million TEU, down 1% year over year.
Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by Hackett Associates, provides historical data and forecasts for the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. The report is free to NRF retail members, and subscription information is available at NRF.com/PortTracker or by calling (202) 783-7971. Subscription information for non-members can be found at www.globalporttracker.com.
As the leading authority and voice for the retail industry, NRF analyzes economic conditions affecting the industry through reports such as Global Port Tracker.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs — 55 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com
About Hackett Associates
Hackett Associates provides expert consulting, research and advisory services to the international maritime industry, government agencies and international institutions. www.hackettassociates.com