Trade Pressures and Middle East Tensions Push Global Container Demand Down 2.4%

Container shipping demand continues to face pressure from trade-related and geopolitical disruptions. Weaker U.S. import activity linked to the ongoing trade war, combined with instability in the Middle East are creating a challenging environment for containerized volumes and for trade flows.

As reported by ShippingWatch, analysis by Sea-Intelligence based on data from Container Trade Statistics, shows that global container shipping demand declined by 2.4% year-on-year in March 2026.

North America has been a key driver of this decline. Total container traffic to and from the region fell -6.8% year-over-year, underperforming the rest of the world. In comparison, other regions, excluding North America, recorded a lesser decline at -0.8%.

The weakness was led by imports, with inbound volumes to North America down by -8.4% year-over-year, while exports declined -3.5% over the same period.

Logistics patterns have shifted because of the Hormuz closure. According to ShippingWatch’s report, cargo destined for Persian Gulf countries is being discharged at ports in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman before being transported the rest of the way overland.

These shifts are also evident within U.S. ports. Reporting from The Loadstar indicated that U.S. West Coast ports have gained market share. The converse is happening for U.S. East Coast ports, including New York & New Jersey, Norfolk, Charleston, and Savannah, which have recorded double-digit volume declines.

This trend is also noted in Descarte’s April report, which noted that container volumes across the top 10 U.S. ports fell -1.4%, with U.S. East Coast ports losing market share to their West Coast counterparts. “These significant swings likely reflect a rapid rebalancing of import routing rather than a sudden change in underlying demand,” Descartes wrote in its April assessment.

Forwarders also report that some shippers in Asia-Pacific are turning to Sea-Air routings via the U.S West Coast for shipments to Europe.

Source: ShippingWatch, Container Trade Statistics, The Loadstar, Descartes (April and May)