Demand slump fueled by Trump tariffs hits US ports: FT
3 Min Read
US-China trade tensions escalate as Trump tariffs cause a major drop in shipping and air cargo volumes.
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The NYK Meteor container ship is moored at the Port of Los Angeles, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The Financial Times (FT) reported on Sunday that the escalating US-China trade tensions are now impacting the broader US economy, with container port operators and air freight managers reporting steep declines in goods transported from China.
The latest Trump tariffs on China, which introduced a 145% duty on Chinese imports, have led to significant disruptions in global trade routes.
Logistics companies report that container bookings from China to the US have plummeted since the tariffs took effect.
The Port of Los Angeles, a primary entry point for Chinese goods, expects scheduled arrivals in early May to be a third lower than the previous year. Similarly, airfreight handlers have noted substantial drops in booking volumes.
By mid-April, 20-foot container bookings from China to the US had dropped 45%, according to Vizion, a container tracking service.
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary-General John Denton said traders delayed decisions amid uncertainty over US-China tariff talks. A global ICC survey found many expect lasting impacts, with Denton warning that US market access is now at its most expensive since the 1930s, with a 10% baseline tariff becoming the norm.
Container shipping cancellations surge amid trade uncertainty
According to FT, shipping companies are already responding. Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world’s largest container lines, reported that Chinese clients have cancelled about 30% of bookings.
Taiwanese shipping firm TS Lines also suspended one of its Asia to US West Coast services, citing a lack of demand. Additionally, shipping analysts at Sea-Intelligence revealed a sharp increase in container shipping cancellations, or 'blank sailings'.
Between May 5 and early June, nearly 400,000 fewer containers are booked on Asia-North America routes, a 25% drop from planned volumes in early March. The Port of Los Angeles alone expects 20 blank sailings in May, up from just six in April, representing a loss of over 250,000 containers.
Widening economic impact
That said, the air cargo drop from China to the US is equally severe.
According to the Airforwarders Association, airfreight volumes from China have fallen roughly 30%. “A lot of members have just stopped receiving orders from China,” said Brandon Fried, the association’s executive director, highlighting the volatile pricing as traders react to shifting White House policies, according to FT.
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, which earns about a quarter of its revenue from air cargo, anticipates further weakening demand due to the tariffs and changes to the US 'de minimis' rule, which will end tariff-free imports for goods valued under $800 starting May 2.
Read next: China grants US tariff exemptions to limit trade war impact
The report highlighted that as the economic impact of the trade war spreads, US companies are adjusting their supply chains. Importers are delaying shipments, using up stockpiled inventory, or diverting goods to bonded warehouses and nearby countries like Canada.
The report argues that consumer confidence is weakening, with rising prices and falling demand becoming more evident. John Shea, CEO of Momentum Commerce, warned of a “double whammy” effect as shoppers scale back demand while costs rise.
