The graph below illustrates the decline in US merchandise exports via container ships from January to April 2025, measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) based on data from global trade data firm Panjiva.
In the first quarter, exports rose steadily, with the biggest increase of 21% in March as businesses rushed to export ahead of Trump’s new tariffs.
In April, total US merchandise exports via ocean carriers plummeted to 57,300 TEUs, a 78% decrease from the previous month. Exports from the US to China in April also took a hit, with a 77% decline in container volume compared to March.
Due to the drop in export volume in April, some of the US’s major ports experienced significant downturns. The following illustrates the change in TEUs handled at the top 10 US ports from January to May 2025:
Container exports from the Port of New Orleans decreased by nearly 24%, while the Port of Los Angeles saw a 17% decline. The ports of New York and New Jersey recorded a 13% drop.
On May 12, the US and China reached an initial agreement to rollback tariffs on each other’s goods to 10% for 90 days. With the additional 20% tariff imposed by the Trump administration over the fentanyl issue, the current US tariffs on Chinese goods stand at 30%. This trade truce is expected to impact US trade activities in the coming months.
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