Tariff deadlines drive import surge in second quarter 2026

The second quarter of 2026 was defined by regulatory volatility, regional volume divergence and significant empty container repositioning dynamics across North American West Coast container ports.

Facing a hard July 24,according to Sea Intelligence, 2026 deadline for new permanent trade tariffs following earlier judicial reversals, shippers front-loaded inbound cargo into NAWC ports, resulting in 3.7 million TEUs of laden imports across the corridor, a robust 7.1 percent year-on-year increase.

The quarter was characterised by pronounced intra-quarter volatility. April opened softly before the market hit a sharp inflection in May, when total handled volumes surged 12.7% and laden imports spiked 19.8% year-on-year as shippers accelerated cargo movements ahead of the tariff deadline.

The effect was amplified against a depressed May 2025 baseline, which had itself been affected by earlier tariff deadlines.

Regional performance was sharply divergent. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach dominated, posting laden import growth of 13.8% and 12.0% respectively, reflecting a strong routing preference for Southern California among shippers moving discretionary cargo.

The Pacific Northwest corridor experienced the opposite dynamic, with inbound volume declines recorded across all major ports. Vancouver limited its decline to 4.8%, while the Northwest Seaport Alliance fell 9.2% and Prince Rupert suffered the most severe regional impact with a 12.4% decline in laden imports.

The aggregate coastal growth figure of 7.1% therefore masks a fundamental reorientation of import flows toward Southern California, with the tariff-driven urgency disproportionately channelled through Los Angeles and Long Beach rather than distributed uniformly across the NAWC corridor.

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