Monthly trade report
United States imports: May 2026
Imports into the United States totaled 46.8 million tonnes in May 2026, up 2.7% from April 2026 and up 1.0% from May 2025, according to US bill of lading data (CBP ocean manifests) compiled by CargoFax.
- Import weight, May 2026
- 46.8 million tonnes
- vs April 2026
- +2.7%
- vs May 2025
- +1.0%
Fuels reached their lowest level since January 2025 in May as stone and steel rose
Mineral fuels and oils (HS 27) fell 6.2% in May 2026 to 6.22 million tonnes, their lowest monthly level since January 2025 and 13.3% of US ocean imports. Total weight edged up 2.7% from April to 46.8 million tonnes, 1.0% above May 2025. The number of shipments edged up 8.4%.
Within fuels, refined petroleum fuels (HS 2710) fell 28.6% to 1.30 million tonnes. How the rest of the chapter splits by product is hard to read after changes in HS coding detail, so the chapter total is the better guide.
Salt, stone, and cement (HS 25) moved the other way, up 29.5% to 4.35 million tonnes, the highest monthly level since January 2025. Crushed stone and gravel (HS 2517) reached 577,879 tonnes, also a high since January 2025, and iron and steel (HS 72) rose for a fourth consecutive month, to 2.32 million tonnes.
China rose 16.6% to 10.2 million tonnes, 21.8% of the weight. South Korea and Vietnam each edged down, by 8.1% and 5.9% respectively. From March to May, imports totaled 142 million tonnes, 3.1% less than a year earlier, and the year-to-date total of 224 million tonnes is 7.1% below 2025.
What the data shows: May was lighter on fuels and heavier on stone and steel. Changes in HS coding detail make the fuel split hard to read, and the data does not show why volumes moved.
Month at a glance
| Metric | May 2026 | April 2026 | Change | May 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (tonnes) | 46,764,829 | 45,540,423 | +2.7% | 46,300,444 | +1.0% |
| Records | 1,740,105 | 1,605,371 | +8.4% | 1,350,331 | +28.9% |
| Importers | 143,610 | 125,755 | +14.2% | 127,666 | +12.5% |
How does the month compare with the last three months, the quarter, and the year?
| Period | Total | Prior period | vs prior period | Same period last year | vs same period last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last 3 months Mar – May '26 | 141,814,471 | 126,043,064 Dec '25 – Feb '26 | +12.5% | 146,295,058 | -3.1% |
| Quarter to date Apr – May '26 | 92,305,252 | 81,728,888 Jan – Feb '26 | +12.9% | 96,255,828 | -4.1% |
| Year to date Jan – May '26 | 223,543,359 | 240,524,045 Jan – May '25 | -7.1% | 240,524,045 | -7.1% |
What did the United States import in May 2026?
By HS chapter
| HS | Category | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Apr 2026 | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils | 6,216,264 | 13.3% | -6.2% | -27.3% |
| 25 | Salt, stone, and cement | 4,354,945 | 9.3% | +29.5% | +19.4% |
| 87 | Vehicles and parts | 2,633,778 | 5.6% | +32.2% | +57.3% |
| 94 | Furniture and lighting | 2,581,528 | 5.5% | +50.3% | +114.5% |
| 39 | Plastics | 2,562,108 | 5.5% | -2.3% | +2.2% |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 2,319,437 | 5.0% | +19.8% | +10.3% |
| 84 | Machinery and computers | 2,117,462 | 4.5% | -16.1% | -26.5% |
| 85 | Electrical equipment | 1,319,152 | 2.8% | +26.6% | +79.4% |
| 44 | Wood | 1,221,126 | 2.6% | -14.8% | -31.1% |
| 73 | Iron and steel articles | 1,194,414 | 2.6% | +10.7% | -52.8% |
By product (HS4)
| HS | Product | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Apr 2026 | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2709 | Crude petroleum | 1,809,964 | 3.9% | -42.1% | -73.0% |
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 1,721,280 | 3.7% | +334.4% | new |
| 2710 | Refined petroleum fuels | 1,304,546 | 2.8% | -28.6% | -9.3% |
| 9403 | Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,093,767 | 2.3% | +53.5% | +139.9% |
| 2701 | Coal | 1,066,324 | 2.3% | +29.0% | +586.0% |
| 8708 | Vehicle parts and accessories | 984,550 | 2.1% | +36.4% | +104.8% |
| 2523 | Portland cement, aluminous cement (ciment fondu), slag... | 857,515 | 1.8% | +3.2% | +24.4% |
| 9401 | Seats (not those of heading no. 9402), whether or not... | 798,974 | 1.7% | +13.6% | +17.9% |
| 2501 | Salt (including table salt and denatured salt) | 724,009 | 1.5% | +40.7% | +58.2% |
| 2520 | Anhydrite | 585,561 | 1.3% | +51.9% | +24.3% |
What went up, what went down
Biggest increases
Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 (HS 9403) added 381,000 tonnes compared with April 2026, more than any other product heading.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 396,249 | 1,721,280 | +1,325,032 | +334.4% |
| 87 | Vehicles and parts (chapter only) | 167,485 | 568,599 | +401,114 | +239.5% |
| 9403 | Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 712,734 | 1,093,767 | +381,033 | +53.5% |
| 2505 | Sands of all kinds | 191,090 | 559,608 | +368,519 | +192.9% |
| 94 | Furniture and lighting (chapter only) | 117,820 | 380,558 | +262,738 | +223.0% |
Biggest decreases
Crude petroleum (HS 2709) had the largest decline, 1.32 million tonnes less than in April 2026.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2709 | Crude petroleum | 3,127,214 | 1,809,964 | -1,317,251 | -42.1% |
| 3921 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, foil and strip n.e.c. in... | 779,799 | 245,119 | -534,680 | -68.6% |
| 2710 | Refined petroleum fuels | 1,826,667 | 1,304,546 | -522,121 | -28.6% |
| 8415 | Air conditioning machines | 874,259 | 366,012 | -508,247 | -58.1% |
| 3102 | Nitrogen fertilizers | 786,924 | 394,279 | -392,645 | -49.9% |
Where did the United States' imports come from?
| Origin | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Apr 2026 | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 10,198,819 | 21.8% | +16.6% | +16.6% |
| Canada | 3,753,829 | 8.0% | +15.5% | +10.9% |
| South Korea | 3,466,467 | 7.4% | -8.0% | -10.5% |
| Vietnam | 2,508,258 | 5.4% | -5.9% | -6.5% |
| Mexico | 1,942,374 | 4.2% | +9.7% | -26.0% |
| Brazil | 1,566,166 | 3.3% | +25.2% | -12.2% |
| India | 1,224,180 | 2.6% | -0.9% | +2.1% |
| Germany | 1,185,114 | 2.5% | +0.8% | -1.3% |
| Colombia | 1,109,474 | 2.4% | -22.6% | -4.2% |
| Japan | 1,082,188 | 2.3% | +7.6% | +20.5% |
Ports of entry
| Port | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Apr 2026 | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York/Newark Area, Newark, New Jersey | 5,100,016 | 10.9% | +7.0% | +3.4% |
| Los Angeles, California | 4,702,248 | 10.1% | -12.9% | +0.9% |
| Long Beach, California | 4,358,750 | 9.3% | +2.9% | -11.4% |
| Houston, Texas | 4,182,288 | 8.9% | -2.3% | +29.3% |
| Savannah, Georgia | 3,186,022 | 6.8% | +6.1% | +17.7% |
Which shipping lines and carriers moved the most imports?
| # | Carrier | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Apr 2026 | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MSC MEDITTERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY | 5,033,468 | 10.8% | +2.8% | -4.0% |
| 2 | COMPAGNIE MARITIME D'AFFRETEMENT | 4,046,827 | 8.7% | +2.6% | +20.3% |
| 3 | MAERSK LINE | 3,968,122 | 8.5% | +15.5% | +22.5% |
| 4 | HAPAG-LLOYD CONTAINER LINE | 2,851,315 | 6.1% | +3.9% | +8.1% |
| 5 | ONE OCEAN EXPRESS | 2,386,011 | 5.1% | -10.2% | +10.4% |
| 6 | COSCO CONTAINER LINES AMERICAS | 2,010,420 | 4.3% | +10.9% | +66.0% |
| 7 | EVERGREEN LINE | 1,836,292 | 3.9% | +4.7% | +31.7% |
| 8 | ZIM INTEGRATED SHIPPING SERVICES LTD | 1,792,102 | 3.8% | -2.6% | -16.1% |
| 9 | CANADA STEAMSHIP LINES INC | 1,649,712 | 3.5% | +40.7% | +17.5% |
| 10 | STAR FREIGHT SOLUTIONS | 1,473,148 | 3.2% | +14.4% | +61.9% |
Carrier names appear on records covering 97.9% of the month's total. Names are shown as recorded and may include local agents of the carrier.
Which import routes carried the most?
| # | Route | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Apr 2026 | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yantian → Long Beach, California | 725,197 | 1.6% | +39.6% | -7.0% |
| 2 | Ningbo → Los Angeles, California | 718,372 | 1.5% | +15.9% | +98.6% |
| 3 | Shanghai → Los Angeles, California | 570,761 | 1.2% | -1.1% | +30.5% |
| 4 | Yantian → Los Angeles, California | 567,731 | 1.2% | +2.6% | +27.5% |
| 5 | Shanghai → Long Beach, California | 559,106 | 1.2% | -5.6% | -48.4% |
| 6 | Busan → Houston, Texas | 495,225 | 1.1% | -3.8% | +67.9% |
| 7 | Ningbo → Long Beach, California | 406,572 | 0.9% | -4.1% | +38.2% |
| 8 | Gooch Island, BC → Seattle, Washington | 401,757 | 0.9% | +1.2% | +45.2% |
| 9 | Vung Tau → Los Angeles, California | 342,279 | 0.7% | -15.7% | +28.4% |
| 10 | Busan → Long Beach, California | 333,156 | 0.7% | -22.9% | -13.6% |
Which imports grew and declined over the last three months?
Mar 2026 to May 2026 compared with Mar 2025 to May 2025. Items under 0.5% of the three-month total are left out.
Products
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | 584,207 | 4,596,900 | +4,012,693 | +686.9% |
| Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 0 | 2,193,164 | +2,193,164 | new |
| Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,379,344 | 2,822,229 | +1,442,885 | +104.6% |
| Passenger cars | 108,702 | 1,510,451 | +1,401,749 | >+999% |
| Refined petroleum fuels | 3,820,308 | 5,041,318 | +1,221,010 | +32.0% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude petroleum | 21,524,387 | 7,814,370 | -13,710,017 | -63.7% |
| Screws, bolts, nuts, coach screws, screw hooks, rivets,... | 4,526,583 | 642,568 | -3,884,015 | -85.8% |
| Air conditioning machines | 4,330,137 | 1,864,246 | -2,465,891 | -56.9% |
| HS heading 9903 | 2,219,623 | 513,328 | -1,706,295 | -76.9% |
| Plastic plates, sheets, film, foil and strip n.e.c. in... | 3,042,411 | 1,509,998 | -1,532,412 | -50.4% |
Countries
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 8,560,842 | 10,332,322 | +1,771,480 | +20.7% |
| Venezuela | 849,922 | 1,866,420 | +1,016,498 | +119.6% |
| Egypt | 573,497 | 1,417,457 | +843,961 | +147.2% |
| Vietnam | 7,113,805 | 7,748,784 | +634,979 | +8.9% |
| Japan | 2,789,764 | 3,292,776 | +503,012 | +18.0% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 7,804,617 | 4,110,425 | -3,694,191 | -47.3% |
| Mexico | 8,417,136 | 5,982,999 | -2,434,137 | -28.9% |
| Nigeria | 949,938 | 252,856 | -697,081 | -73.4% |
| Panama | 3,304,624 | 2,655,856 | -648,768 | -19.6% |
| Netherlands | 2,473,516 | 1,912,682 | -560,833 | -22.7% |
Top importers in May 2026
143,610 importers received shipments this month. See who they are, what they bought, and from whom in Explorer.
| # | Importer | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 2 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 3 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 4 | Importer, HS 25 salt, stone, and cement | |
| 5 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 6 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 7 | Importer, HS 47 wood pulp | |
| 8 | Importer, HS 25 salt, stone, and cement |
12-month trend
| Month | Weight (tonnes) | Records |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | 48,676,154 | 1,473,947 |
| Jul 2025 | 50,287,801 | 1,656,219 |
| Aug 2025 | 48,876,546 | 1,645,602 |
| Sep 2025 | 44,580,106 | 1,523,059 |
| Oct 2025 | 44,982,696 | 1,529,195 |
| Nov 2025 | 43,979,353 | 1,473,599 |
| Dec 2025 | 44,314,176 | 1,460,593 |
| Jan 2026 | 44,003,300 | 1,553,712 |
| Feb 2026 | 37,725,588 | 1,359,350 |
| Mar 2026 | 49,509,220 | 1,730,448 |
| Apr 2026 | 45,540,423 | 1,605,371 |
| May 2026 | 46,764,829 | 1,740,105 |
What looks unusual this month?
These changes may reflect a few large shipments, late records, or a classification change rather than a trend. Check them in the records before quoting them.
- HS 27 (mineral fuels and oils (chapter only)) went from 396,000 tonnes to 1.72 million tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 87 (vehicles and parts (chapter only)) went from 167,000 tonnes to 569,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 94 (furniture and lighting (chapter only)) went from 118,000 tonnes to 381,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 4703 (chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate, other than...) went from 117,000 tonnes to 370,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 39 (plastics (chapter only)) went from 74,300 tonnes to 260,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- Mineral fuels and oils (HS 27) fell to its lowest monthly level since January 2025.
- Salt, stone, and cement (HS 25) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Vehicles and parts (HS 87) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Furniture and lighting (HS 94) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
United States import facts, May 2026
- Imports into the United States totaled 46.8 million tonnes in May 2026, up 2.7% from April 2026 and up 1.0% from May 2025.
- The largest single product was crude petroleum (HS 2709) at 1.81 million tonnes.
- Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 (HS 9403) added 381,000 tonnes compared with April 2026, more than any other product heading.
- Crude petroleum (HS 2709) had the largest decline, 1.32 million tonnes less than in April 2026.
Methodology
US import bills of lading (CBP ACE ocean manifests) via CargoFax. This report measures weight in tonnes and the number of records. Categories follow the Harmonized System. Records are customs line items; importers are distinct importers with a record in the month. The latest month may be revised as late records arrive. The period table leaves out a comparison that reaches before January 2025, when the series starts, or that includes a month not used as a base. Year to date is compared with the same months a year earlier. Records are ocean bills of lading (US import manifests and export bills); one record is one bill of lading line. Countries are the country where goods were loaded (imports) or the destination country (exports). US values in the source are model estimates that do not match official totals, so these reports measure weight and records only. Weights above 200,000 tonnes on one line, or above 5,000 tonnes outside bulk goods, are treated as recording errors and left out of weight totals; the records still count. Some lines carry only a 2-digit HS chapter and are shown as "chapter only". About a third of import bills do not name the importer. Export records for January and February 2026 may be incomplete at the data provider.
FAQ
United States trade, May 2026: frequently asked questions
How much did the United States import in May 2026?
The United States imported 46.8 million tonnes in May 2026, up 2.7% from April 2026 and up 1.0% from May 2025, according to CargoFax customs records.
What does the United States import?
In May 2026, the United States' largest imports were crude petroleum (HS 2709, 1.81 million tonnes), mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) (HS 27, 1.72 million tonnes), and refined petroleum fuels (HS 2710, 1.30 million tonnes). The largest HS chapter was mineral fuels and oils, with 13.3% of the total.
Where does the United States import from?
The top countries of lading for the United States' imports in May 2026 were China (21.8%), Canada (8.0%), and South Korea (7.4%), by share of weight.
Are the United States' imports going up or down?
The United States' imports are falling. From March 2026 to May 2026, they totaled 142 million tonnes, down 3.1% from the same months last year. Year to date, the United States' imports are down 7.1% from the same period of 2025.
What are the United States' main ports of entry?
In May 2026, the United States' main points of entry were New York/Newark Area, Newark, New Jersey with 10.9%, Los Angeles, California with 10.1%, and Long Beach, California with 9.3% of imports.
Which shipping lines carry the most imports into the United States?
By weight, the largest carriers of the United States' imports in May 2026 were MSC MEDITTERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY with 10.8%, COMPAGNIE MARITIME D'AFFRETEMENT with 8.7%, and MAERSK LINE with 8.5%.
How many companies import into the United States?
143,610 distinct importers appear in the United States' customs records for May 2026. Their names are available to subscribers in Atlas Explorer.
Where can I get the United States import and export data?
CargoFax publishes this United States trade report free every month. The United States customs records behind it, with company names, HS codes, countries, and ports, are searchable in Atlas Explorer and available in bulk through Files.
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