Descartes Datamyne reports the number of finished vehicles shipped to the United States by sea fell by 9% in May compared with the same month a year ago, likely as a direct result of new tariffs on vehicles built or assembled outside the country.

The Trump administration’s tariffs, enacted to encourage more domestic production, have set the stage for new deals with China and the United Kingdom, with other nations and automakers reportedly engaged in ongoing negotiations.

Although some tariffs have specifically targeted vehicles and parts, others apply to all or most goods shipped from a given trade partner, reducing overall import volumes significantly, according to Descartes’s report.

“U.S. container imports declined sharply after several months of growth, falling 9.7% from April and 7.2% year-over-year to 2,177,453 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) — the lowest monthly total since March 2024 (2,145,341 TEUs). The drop followed a wave of frontloading in April and reflects a broader adjustment to shifting trade policies,” analysts write.

Note: This story was updated to include revised data from Descartes Datamyne. 

Read the full report at Descartes Datamyne