Monthly trade report
United States imports: August 2026
Imports into the United States totaled 51.8 million tonnes in August 2026, up 3.5% from July 2026 and up 6.0% from August 2025, according to US bill of lading data (CBP ocean manifests) compiled by CargoFax.
- Import weight, August 2026
- 51.8 million tonnes
- vs July 2026
- +3.5%
- vs August 2025
- +6.0%
Fuels and Canadian cargo lifted August imports 6.0% above a year earlier
Canada shipped 5.15 million tonnes to the United States by sea in August 2026, up 16.3% from July and its highest monthly level since January 2025. That lifted its share to 9.9%, second only to China at 19.9%, which edged down 4.0% to 10.3 million tonnes.
Total ocean import weight edged up 3.5% from July to 51.8 million tonnes, its highest monthly level since January 2025, and was 6.0% above August 2025, while the number of shipments was little changed, up 0.4%. Mineral fuels and oils (HS 27) rose 19.1% to 9.28 million tonnes, 17.9% of the total. Refined fuels (HS 2710) rose 24.5% to 1.71 million tonnes, while natural gas and LPG (HS 2711) fell 44.2%.
Apparel continued its climb. Knitted apparel (HS 61) reached 493,931 tonnes and woven apparel (HS 62) 489,547 tonnes, each a fourth consecutive increase and a high since January 2025. Cane or beet sugar (HS 1701) rose 70.6% to 396,435 tonnes, also its highest level since January 2025.
For July and August together, imports totaled 102 million tonnes, 2.8% more than in the same months of 2025. Year to date, the 366 million tonnes are 5.7% below 2025, a gap that has narrowed since June.
What the data shows: August added weight in fuels, apparel, and sugar, with Canada as the standout supplier. The data shows the rising volumes but not why Canadian shipments grew.
Month at a glance
| Metric | August 2026 | July 2026 | Change | August 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (tonnes) | 51,830,325 | 50,066,320 | +3.5% | 48,876,546 | +6.0% |
| Records | 1,887,197 | 1,879,937 | +0.4% | 1,645,602 | +14.7% |
| Importers | 151,560 | 191,464 | -20.8% | 141,865 | +6.8% |
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 Jun – Aug '26 | 142,543,004 | 141,814,471 Mar – May '26 | +0.5% | 147,840,501 | -3.6% |
| Quarter to date Jul – Aug '26 | 101,896,645 | 92,305,252 Apr – May '26 | +10.4% | 99,164,346 | +2.8% |
| Year to date Jan – Aug '26 | 366,086,363 | 388,364,545 Jan – Aug '25 | -5.7% | 388,364,545 | -5.7% |
What did the United States import in August 2026?
By HS chapter
| HS | Category | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Jul 2026 | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils | 9,283,637 | 17.9% | +19.1% | -2.4% |
| 25 | Salt, stone, and cement | 4,561,699 | 8.8% | +0.3% | +24.4% |
| 39 | Plastics | 2,845,656 | 5.5% | +3.0% | -3.8% |
| 87 | Vehicles and parts | 2,620,517 | 5.1% | -7.7% | +49.1% |
| 94 | Furniture and lighting | 2,388,532 | 4.6% | -2.2% | +70.3% |
| 84 | Machinery and computers | 2,202,815 | 4.3% | +1.3% | -30.2% |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 2,175,323 | 4.2% | +1.1% | +18.7% |
| 44 | Wood | 1,416,973 | 2.7% | +5.1% | -37.4% |
| 73 | Iron and steel articles | 1,349,410 | 2.6% | +0.3% | +25.2% |
| 85 | Electrical equipment | 1,334,961 | 2.6% | -0.9% | +46.3% |
By product (HS4)
| HS | Product | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Jul 2026 | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 3,379,138 | 6.5% | +50.7% | new |
| 2709 | Crude petroleum | 3,053,368 | 5.9% | +22.0% | -60.0% |
| 2710 | Refined petroleum fuels | 1,707,228 | 3.3% | +24.5% | +29.6% |
| 8708 | Vehicle parts and accessories | 1,083,569 | 2.1% | +2.3% | +108.5% |
| 9403 | Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,066,394 | 2.1% | +0.2% | +105.1% |
| 2517 | Pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... | 953,067 | 1.8% | +0.1% | +132.9% |
| 2523 | Portland cement, aluminous cement (ciment fondu), slag... | 930,240 | 1.8% | -12.2% | +36.5% |
| 2701 | Coal | 799,540 | 1.5% | -24.9% | +245.6% |
| 9401 | Seats (not those of heading no. 9402), whether or not... | 701,938 | 1.4% | -7.7% | -10.7% |
| 2501 | Salt (including table salt and denatured salt) | 674,653 | 1.3% | -5.2% | +26.7% |
What went up, what went down
Biggest increases
Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) (HS 27) added 1.14 million tonnes compared with July 2026, more than any other product heading.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 2,242,478 | 3,379,138 | +1,136,660 | +50.7% |
| 2709 | Crude petroleum | 2,502,173 | 3,053,368 | +551,195 | +22.0% |
| 2710 | Refined petroleum fuels | 1,371,746 | 1,707,228 | +335,482 | +24.5% |
| 1701 | Cane or beet sugar | 232,388 | 396,435 | +164,047 | +70.6% |
| 2520 | Anhydrite | 430,078 | 536,740 | +106,663 | +24.8% |
Biggest decreases
Coal (HS 2701) had the largest decline, 265,000 tonnes less than in July 2026.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2701 | Coal | 1,064,432 | 799,540 | -264,892 | -24.9% |
| 7601 | Unwrought | 278,081 | 88,337 | -189,744 | -68.2% |
| 2711 | Natural gas and LPG | 412,221 | 230,039 | -182,182 | -44.2% |
| 8703 | Passenger cars | 593,498 | 434,601 | -158,897 | -26.8% |
| 2523 | Portland cement, aluminous cement (ciment fondu), slag... | 1,059,482 | 930,240 | -129,243 | -12.2% |
Where did the United States' imports come from?
| Origin | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Jul 2026 | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 10,317,006 | 19.9% | -4.0% | +0.8% |
| Canada | 5,148,391 | 9.9% | +16.3% | +11.6% |
| South Korea | 4,121,250 | 8.0% | -5.7% | +27.7% |
| Vietnam | 2,826,935 | 5.5% | +5.4% | +17.3% |
| Mexico | 2,089,843 | 4.0% | -9.9% | -6.1% |
| Other or unspecified | 1,966,975 | 3.8% | +248.3% | +12.4% |
| Brazil | 1,599,213 | 3.1% | -18.4% | -24.1% |
| India | 1,458,736 | 2.8% | +5.6% | +4.7% |
| Panama | 1,386,465 | 2.7% | +20.8% | +10.1% |
| Colombia | 1,310,903 | 2.5% | +8.8% | +4.8% |
Ports of entry
| Port | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Jul 2026 | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, California | 5,697,733 | 11.0% | +4.7% | +1.4% |
| Long Beach, California | 5,234,146 | 10.1% | -11.2% | +0.7% |
| New York/Newark Area, Newark, New Jersey | 5,016,275 | 9.7% | -1.8% | -5.6% |
| Houston, Texas | 4,313,147 | 8.3% | +3.6% | +17.7% |
| Savannah, Georgia | 3,394,925 | 6.6% | +12.2% | +20.4% |
Which shipping lines and carriers moved the most imports?
| # | Carrier | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Jul 2026 | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MSC MEDITTERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY | 5,485,223 | 10.6% | +3.9% | +2.2% |
| 2 | COMPAGNIE MARITIME D'AFFRETEMENT | 3,937,470 | 7.6% | +8.0% | -0.3% |
| 3 | MAERSK LINE | 3,907,177 | 7.5% | -0.5% | +9.7% |
| 4 | ONE OCEAN EXPRESS | 2,921,347 | 5.6% | +4.2% | +20.3% |
| 5 | HAPAG-LLOYD CONTAINER LINE | 2,793,474 | 5.4% | -6.9% | +2.5% |
| 6 | ZIM INTEGRATED SHIPPING SERVICES LTD | 2,201,223 | 4.2% | +13.6% | +23.9% |
| 7 | COSCO CONTAINER LINES AMERICAS | 1,711,504 | 3.3% | -15.9% | +7.4% |
| 8 | EVERGREEN LINE | 1,705,612 | 3.3% | +2.8% | -5.6% |
| 9 | CANADA STEAMSHIP LINES INC | 1,545,203 | 3.0% | -5.7% | +2.8% |
| 10 | STAR FREIGHT SOLUTIONS | 1,473,461 | 2.8% | -1.3% | +15.8% |
Carrier names appear on records covering 97.8% 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 Jul 2026 | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yantian → Long Beach, California | 796,960 | 1.5% | +2.7% | +15.7% |
| 2 | Shanghai → Los Angeles, California | 764,768 | 1.5% | +1.3% | +35.4% |
| 3 | Ningbo → Los Angeles, California | 730,623 | 1.4% | +5.9% | +17.7% |
| 4 | Gulf of Mexico → Port Arthur, Texas | 631,436 | 1.2% | new | +38.9% |
| 5 | Shanghai → Long Beach, California | 622,139 | 1.2% | +2.0% | -10.5% |
| 6 | Gooch Island, BC → Seattle, Washington | 559,625 | 1.1% | +27.3% | +59.9% |
| 7 | Yantian → Los Angeles, California | 546,193 | 1.1% | -12.2% | -20.1% |
| 8 | Busan → Houston, Texas | 508,394 | 1.0% | +9.4% | +58.1% |
| 9 | Ningbo → Long Beach, California | 487,907 | 0.9% | -7.3% | +8.6% |
| 10 | Busan → Long Beach, California | 480,586 | 0.9% | -23.9% | +24.8% |
Which imports grew and declined over the last three months?
Jun 2026 to Aug 2026 compared with Jun 2025 to Aug 2025. Items under 0.5% of the three-month total are left out.
Products
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 0 | 7,159,739 | +7,159,739 | new |
| Coal | 436,163 | 2,498,662 | +2,062,499 | +472.9% |
| Pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... | 982,967 | 2,604,796 | +1,621,829 | +165.0% |
| Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,502,203 | 3,106,996 | +1,604,793 | +106.8% |
| Vehicles and parts (chapter only) | 44 | 1,577,309 | +1,577,266 | >+999% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude petroleum | 22,990,374 | 7,416,525 | -15,573,849 | -67.7% |
| Air conditioning machines | 4,271,557 | 1,124,862 | -3,146,695 | -73.7% |
| Plastic plates, sheets, film, foil and strip n.e.c. in... | 3,348,142 | 891,757 | -2,456,385 | -73.4% |
| HS heading 9903 | 2,107,992 | 452,359 | -1,655,633 | -78.5% |
| Packing cases, boxes, crates, drums and similar... | 2,092,878 | 599,244 | -1,493,634 | -71.4% |
Countries
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 7,027 | 3,112,975 | +3,105,947 | >+999% |
| South Korea | 10,678,293 | 11,669,128 | +990,835 | +9.3% |
| Turkey | 1,998,098 | 2,664,661 | +666,563 | +33.4% |
| Canada | 12,250,545 | 12,880,968 | +630,423 | +5.1% |
| China | 29,773,367 | 30,363,388 | +590,021 | +2.0% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iraq | 1,525,986 | 0 | -1,525,986 | -100.0% |
| Mexico | 7,213,356 | 5,828,153 | -1,385,203 | -19.2% |
| Brazil | 5,672,383 | 4,823,451 | -848,932 | -15.0% |
| Germany | 3,763,136 | 2,992,377 | -770,759 | -20.5% |
| Taiwan | 2,970,809 | 2,234,663 | -736,146 | -24.8% |
Top importers in August 2026
151,560 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 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 5 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 6 | Importer, HS 25 salt, stone, and cement | |
| 7 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 8 | Importer, HS 25 salt, stone, and cement |
12-month trend
| Month | Weight (tonnes) | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Jun 2026 | 40,646,359 | 1,649,938 |
| Jul 2026 | 50,066,320 | 1,879,937 |
| Aug 2026 | 51,830,325 | 1,887,197 |
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 7613 (containers for compressed or liquefied gas) went from 2,080 tonnes to 189,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 2510 (natural calcium phosphates) went from 2,050 tonnes to 155,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- HS 2525 (mica, including splittings) went from 2,120 tonnes to 79,700 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- Salt, stone, and cement (HS 25) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Aluminium (HS 76) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Rubber (HS 40) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Glass (HS 70) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
United States import facts, August 2026
- Imports into the United States totaled 51.8 million tonnes in August 2026, up 3.5% from July 2026 and up 6.0% from August 2025.
- The largest single product was mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) (HS 27) at 3.38 million tonnes.
- Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) (HS 27) added 1.14 million tonnes compared with July 2026, more than any other product heading.
- Coal (HS 2701) had the largest decline, 265,000 tonnes less than in July 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, August 2026: frequently asked questions
How much did the United States import in August 2026?
The United States imported 51.8 million tonnes in August 2026, up 3.5% from July 2026 and up 6.0% from August 2025, according to CargoFax customs records.
What does the United States import?
In August 2026, the United States' largest imports were mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) (HS 27, 3.38 million tonnes), crude petroleum (HS 2709, 3.05 million tonnes), and refined petroleum fuels (HS 2710, 1.71 million tonnes). The largest HS chapter was mineral fuels and oils, with 17.9% of the total.
Where does the United States import from?
The top countries of lading for the United States' imports in August 2026 were China (19.9%), Canada (9.9%), and South Korea (8.0%), by share of weight.
Are the United States' imports going up or down?
The United States' imports are falling. From June 2026 to August 2026, they totaled 143 million tonnes, down 3.6% from the same months last year. Year to date, the United States' imports are down 5.7% from the same period of 2025.
What are the United States' main ports of entry?
In August 2026, the United States' main points of entry were Los Angeles, California with 11.0%, Long Beach, California with 10.1%, and New York/Newark Area, Newark, New Jersey with 9.7% of imports.
Which shipping lines carry the most imports into the United States?
By weight, the largest carriers of the United States' imports in August 2026 were MSC MEDITTERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY with 10.6%, COMPAGNIE MARITIME D'AFFRETEMENT with 7.6%, and MAERSK LINE with 7.5%.
How many companies import into the United States?
151,560 distinct importers appear in the United States' customs records for August 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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