Archives



Freight News, Logistics, Road, Sea


Port Operations Normalize Amid Shifting Winds

[ November 25, 2025   //   ]

ITS Logistics, the North America asset-based third-party logistics providers, said Nov. 13 it released its November forecast in the ITS Logistics U.S. Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index (https://tinyurl.com/44742dyp).

The index confirms a continued decline of import and export volumes, which, while hindering overall economic activity, has allowed for port and rail congestion to alleviate, ITS Logistics said. As port activity normalizes, multiple sectors within the domestic supply chain are experiencing heightened uncertainty as rapid regulatory change affects tariffs, English language proficiency enforcement, and non-domiciled trucking capacity.

“With volume decreases, port, terminal, and ocean carrier operations remain at normal levels and should remain so through November,” said Paul Brashier, vice president of global supply chain for ITS Logistics. “However, there are some items we are keeping a close eye on that could drastically change the landscape in North American port and ramp operations.”

U.S. container imports totaled 2.31 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in October, down 7.5 percent compared to 2024. The marginal decrease represents a divergence from typical seasonal trends, reflecting continued shipper hesitancy and a reliance on front-loaded inventory, the 3PL said.

Despite overall decline, China-origin imports grew for the time since August, leading modest volume gains from top U.S. trading partners with a 5.4 percent month-over-month increase.

For months, President Donald Trump’s public challenges to China have been met with President Xi Jinping’s measured resolve. The result: Trump agreed to cut fentanyl-linked tariffs on Beijing (his claimed sole reason for pursing the tariffs),lowered overall duties on Chinese goods to 47 percent, and on Nov. 11 paused for a year a Trump scheme to charge port fees on Chinese owned, crewed and operated. That move many argued would not only increase import costs but severely impact secondary ports across the country.

Tariff uncertainty continues to be a primary driver of depressed import activity, according to industry analysts. On Nov. 5, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Trump Administration’s tariffs case, marking a new and contentious chapter. If the Supreme Court finds President Trump’s tariffs were enacted illegally, it will offer immediate relief for shippers while also opening the door for challenges and questions related to refunding the US$1 trillion importers have paid since April. The Trump administration claims it exploring alternative routes for enforcing import duties in the event the ruling is overturned. So, for now, shippers and consumers remain cautious and purposeful in their holiday spending, with shoppers expected to spend 10 percent less than last year, according to Deloitte’s 2025 Holiday Retail Survey.

The ITS Logistics U.S. Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index forecasts port container and dray operations for the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf regions. Ocean and domestic container rail ramp operations are also highlighted in the index for both the West Inland and East Inland regions. Download the report at https://web.its4logistics.com/monthly-freight-index.

Tags: