Import Cargo’s Extended Peak Season Wrapping Up

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2026 - This year's drawn-out peak shipping season appears to finally be ending, with import volume at the nation's major container ports starting to slow down compared with persistent high numbers over the summer, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

"Even with any fluctuations in final data, we're likely past the busiest part of the year," NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. "The truth is that the peak season started early and was stretched out through the summer and early fall, with the difference from month to month often amounting to little more than a rounding error. Most holiday merchandise has arrived, and the remainder of the year is just a matter of last-minute replenishment and preparation for early 2027. Consumers should find shelves well stocked with a wide range of choices to meet their needs and budgets for the holidays."

"Core economic indicators are broadly flat or weakening slightly month over month recently," Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said. "Despite this, consumers appear to remain confident and cautious at the same time, with consumer confidence indexes sliding to multi-year lows while consumer spending continues to be robust in the face of increasing inflation."

U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units - one 20-foot container or its equivalent - in August, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was down 0.7% from a year earlier but up 0.4% from July to likely make August the busiest month of the year after an extended peak season.

Ports have not yet reported September numbers, but Global Port Tracker projected a drop to 2.28 million TEU, up 8.2% year over year. October is forecast at 2.25 million TEU, up 8.5% year over year; November at 2 million TEU, down 1%, and December at 2.02 million TEU, up 0.6%.

Those numbers would bring 2026 to a total of 25.8 million TEU, up 1.4% 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 2.07 million TEU, down 1.9% year over year, and February at 1.92 million TEU, up 1%.

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