The National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates’ Global Port Tracker report shows that US ports handled cargo equivalent to 2.08 million 20-foot containers (TEU) in January 2026 – a 3.8% increase compared to December 2025, but a 6.4% decrease compared to January 2025.
The latest figures arrive shortly after the US Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump had overstepped his legal authority on tariffs.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The administration has since imposed a temporary 10% levy on all imports, while threatening to increase this to 15%.
“The Supreme Court has struck down IEEPA tariffs, but other tariffs have already been announced and others will be coming, so uncertainty continues for retailers,” explains Jonathan Gold, Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy at NRF.
“The need for clear and predictable trade policy remains, and long-term planning continues to be difficult for merchants and other businesses. While we agree with holding our trading partners accountable and looking for more domestic manufacturing opportunities, it needs to be understood that tariffs drive up costs for businesses and prices for consumers.”
Gold added that tariffs should be used “in a strategic manner” and said the NRF was closely monitoring the current situation in Iran and its potential impact on retail supply chains.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe Global Port Tracker has not received numbers for February 2026, but projected the total would reach 2.01 million TEU, down 1.3% compared to the same period in 2025. For March 2026, the tracker projects a 11.2% decrease to 1.91 million TEU.
Over the first half of 2026, the tracker forecasts a total of 12.21 TEU, down 2.5% from the first half of 2025.
With little container cargo headed for the US sourced in the region, Ben Hackett, founder at Hackett Associates, said retailers were unlikely to have seen any immediate impact of the current conflict in Iran.
However, he added that increased oil and gasoline prices will drive inflation if the conflict continues. “That, in turn, could squeeze consumer discretionary spending and US manufacturing, and ultimately drive down import volumes in the longer term.”
