Monthly trade report
United States imports: October 2026
In October 2026, the United States imported 49.2 million tonnes of goods, up 0.8% from September 2026 and up 9.4% from October 2025, according to US bill of lading data (CBP ocean manifests) compiled by CargoFax.
- Import weight, October 2026
- 49.2 million tonnes
- vs September 2026
- +0.8%
- vs October 2025
- +9.4%
Mineral fuels fell 16.3% in October while total import weight held near September's level
Mineral fuels and oils fell 16.3% from September to 6.76 million tonnes in October 2026, yet total US ocean import weight barely moved. At 49.2 million tonnes, it was 0.8% above September and 9.4% above October 2025. The number of shipments edged up 1.5% to 1.92 million.
Several other chapters moved the other way. Vehicles and parts rose 11.5% to 2.75 million tonnes, and plastics rose 7.1% to 3.02 million tonnes. Toys and sports goods (HS 95) increased for a fourth consecutive month, to 631,161 tonnes, as did other textile articles (HS 63), to 746,286 tonnes.
China supplied 11.7 million tonnes, 23.7% of the total and 8.2% more than in September. Canada rose 15.2% to 4.73 million tonnes, ahead of South Korea at 4.00 million tonnes. Indonesia shipped 478,865 tonnes, its highest monthly total since January 2025. Los Angeles received the largest share of the weight, 11.9%.
Over the three months to October, imports reached 150 million tonnes, up 9.0% on May to July and 8.3% on the same period of 2025. The year-to-date total of 464 million tonnes remains 2.9% under the pace of 2025.
What the data shows: Fuels gave ground in October while consumer goods and vehicles added weight, leaving the total close to September's level. The data does not show why fuel shipments fell.
Month at a glance
| Metric | October 2026 | September 2026 | Change | October 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (tonnes) | 49,226,094 | 48,858,783 | +0.8% | 44,982,696 | +9.4% |
| Records | 1,918,394 | 1,889,147 | +1.5% | 1,529,195 | +25.5% |
| Importers | 176,452 | 162,120 | +8.8% | 135,703 | +30.0% |
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 Aug – Oct '26 | 149,915,202 | 137,477,508 May – Jul '26 | +9.0% | 138,439,348 | +8.3% |
| Quarter to date Oct '26 | 49,226,094 | 50,066,320 Jul '26 | -1.7% | 44,982,696 | +9.4% |
| Year to date Jan – Oct '26 | 464,171,240 | 477,927,348 Jan – Oct '25 | -2.9% | 477,927,348 | -2.9% |
What did the United States import in October 2026?
By HS chapter
| HS | Category | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils | 6,756,752 | 13.7% | -16.3% | -22.3% |
| 25 | Salt, stone, and cement | 4,444,367 | 9.0% | +3.7% | +20.8% |
| 39 | Plastics | 3,015,849 | 6.1% | +7.1% | +2.7% |
| 87 | Vehicles and parts | 2,746,123 | 5.6% | +11.5% | +78.8% |
| 94 | Furniture and lighting | 2,580,750 | 5.2% | +9.6% | +90.1% |
| 84 | Machinery and computers | 2,259,820 | 4.6% | +6.3% | -23.0% |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 2,122,689 | 4.3% | -10.0% | +17.7% |
| 85 | Electrical equipment | 1,547,541 | 3.1% | +13.3% | +82.1% |
| 73 | Iron and steel articles | 1,358,923 | 2.8% | -0.3% | +29.8% |
| 44 | Wood | 1,211,667 | 2.5% | -10.5% | -40.4% |
By product (HS4)
| HS | Product | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2709 | Crude petroleum | 2,483,781 | 5.0% | -8.3% | -63.3% |
| 27 | Mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) | 2,348,184 | 4.8% | +9.8% | new |
| 9403 | Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,142,489 | 2.3% | +9.9% | +123.2% |
| 8708 | Vehicle parts and accessories | 1,094,260 | 2.2% | +5.8% | +120.3% |
| 2523 | Portland cement, aluminous cement (ciment fondu), slag... | 1,001,805 | 2.0% | +11.3% | +30.8% |
| 2517 | Pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... | 914,941 | 1.9% | +40.5% | +376.4% |
| 2710 | Refined petroleum fuels | 840,650 | 1.7% | -45.9% | -36.4% |
| 2701 | Coal | 828,976 | 1.7% | -35.3% | +273.3% |
| 9401 | Seats (not those of heading no. 9402), whether or not... | 773,255 | 1.6% | +12.7% | +2.4% |
| 2501 | Salt (including table salt and denatured salt) | 753,437 | 1.5% | -7.6% | +31.3% |
What went up, what went down
Biggest increases
The largest increase came from pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... (HS 2517): 264,000 tonnes more than in September 2026, up 40.5%.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2517 | Pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... | 651,064 | 914,941 | +263,877 | +40.5% |
| 3102 | Nitrogen fertilizers | 208,668 | 314,745 | +106,077 | +50.8% |
| 9403 | Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,039,935 | 1,142,489 | +102,554 | +9.9% |
| 2523 | Portland cement, aluminous cement (ciment fondu), slag... | 900,256 | 1,001,805 | +101,549 | +11.3% |
Biggest decreases
Refined petroleum fuels (HS 2710) fell by 713,000 tonnes from September 2026, more than any other product.
| HS | Product | Prior month | This month | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2710 | Refined petroleum fuels | 1,554,072 | 840,650 | -713,423 | -45.9% |
| 2701 | Coal | 1,281,689 | 828,976 | -452,712 | -35.3% |
| 7206 | Iron and non-alloy steel in ingots or other primary... | 325,140 | 89,559 | -235,581 | -72.5% |
| 2709 | Crude petroleum | 2,710,068 | 2,483,781 | -226,287 | -8.3% |
| 2711 | Natural gas and LPG | 258,765 | 119,402 | -139,362 | -53.9% |
Where did the United States' imports come from?
| Origin | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 11,689,160 | 23.7% | +8.2% | +23.0% |
| Canada | 4,731,002 | 9.6% | +15.2% | +17.4% |
| South Korea | 4,001,807 | 8.1% | +8.2% | +23.5% |
| Vietnam | 2,692,362 | 5.5% | +2.1% | +21.5% |
| Mexico | 1,796,811 | 3.7% | +3.6% | -27.3% |
| Other or unspecified | 1,564,705 | 3.2% | +51.1% | +11.2% |
| India | 1,297,134 | 2.6% | -9.7% | +35.4% |
| Brazil | 1,156,435 | 2.3% | -45.3% | -0.1% |
| Panama | 1,139,466 | 2.3% | -20.1% | +11.4% |
| Colombia | 1,129,946 | 2.3% | +6.2% | -12.0% |
Ports of entry
| Port | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, California | 5,861,803 | 11.9% | -0.4% | +24.3% |
| New York/Newark Area, Newark, New Jersey | 4,987,978 | 10.1% | -2.9% | +2.8% |
| Long Beach, California | 4,843,506 | 9.8% | -15.8% | +7.5% |
| Houston, Texas | 4,319,643 | 8.8% | +11.2% | +28.7% |
| Savannah, Georgia | 3,255,318 | 6.6% | +5.5% | +24.7% |
Which shipping lines and carriers moved the most imports?
| # | Carrier | Weight (tonnes) | Share | vs Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MSC MEDITTERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY | 5,740,347 | 11.7% | +7.6% | +29.8% |
| 2 | COMPAGNIE MARITIME D'AFFRETEMENT | 3,963,684 | 8.1% | +1.7% | +17.1% |
| 3 | MAERSK LINE | 3,874,095 | 7.9% | +12.0% | +12.7% |
| 4 | HAPAG-LLOYD CONTAINER LINE | 2,837,982 | 5.8% | +7.5% | +10.1% |
| 5 | ONE OCEAN EXPRESS | 2,668,101 | 5.4% | -6.5% | +27.7% |
| 6 | ZIM INTEGRATED SHIPPING SERVICES LTD | 2,080,429 | 4.2% | +15.3% | +6.0% |
| 7 | COSCO CONTAINER LINES AMERICAS | 1,910,616 | 3.9% | +1.7% | +21.1% |
| 8 | EVERGREEN LINE | 1,887,708 | 3.8% | +4.8% | +4.9% |
| 9 | STAR FREIGHT SOLUTIONS | 1,472,205 | 3.0% | +8.9% | +25.5% |
| 10 | CANADA STEAMSHIP LINES INC | 1,456,820 | 3.0% | +24.2% | -6.7% |
Carrier names appear on records covering 98.1% 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 Sep 2026 | vs Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ningbo → Los Angeles, California | 815,823 | 1.7% | +7.9% | +32.2% |
| 2 | Shanghai → Los Angeles, California | 813,416 | 1.7% | +11.2% | +47.5% |
| 3 | Gulf of Mexico → Port Arthur, Texas | 782,287 | 1.6% | +89.2% | +63.2% |
| 4 | Yantian → Los Angeles, California | 770,153 | 1.6% | +16.7% | +28.7% |
| 5 | Yantian → Long Beach, California | 740,683 | 1.5% | -12.6% | +20.1% |
| 6 | Ningbo → Long Beach, California | 621,208 | 1.3% | +4.2% | +14.9% |
| 7 | Shanghai → Long Beach, California | 588,786 | 1.2% | -4.1% | -19.7% |
| 8 | Busan → Long Beach, California | 513,527 | 1.0% | +12.7% | +18.4% |
| 9 | Gooch Island, BC → Seattle, Washington | 438,225 | 0.9% | +1.4% | +64.1% |
| 10 | Busan → Houston, Texas | 405,885 | 0.8% | +18.5% | +8.6% |
Which imports grew and declined over the last three months?
Aug 2026 to Oct 2026 compared with Aug 2025 to Oct 2025. Items under 0.5% of the three-month total are left out.
Products
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | 594,523 | 2,910,205 | +2,315,682 | +389.5% |
| Vehicle parts and accessories | 1,412,683 | 3,211,793 | +1,799,110 | +127.4% |
| Furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 | 1,501,993 | 3,248,817 | +1,746,824 | +116.3% |
| Pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... | 954,565 | 2,519,071 | +1,564,506 | +163.9% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude petroleum | 20,893,330 | 8,247,217 | -12,646,113 | -60.5% |
| Air conditioning machines | 3,870,057 | 1,222,467 | -2,647,590 | -68.4% |
| Plastic plates, sheets, film, foil and strip n.e.c. in... | 3,605,983 | 1,012,364 | -2,593,619 | -71.9% |
| Packing cases, boxes, crates, drums and similar... | 2,101,846 | 632,237 | -1,469,609 | -69.9% |
| Granite, porphyry, basalt, sandstone, other monumental... | 1,361,759 | 13,080 | -1,348,679 | -99.0% |
Countries
| Grew | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 28,778,471 | 32,813,862 | +4,035,391 | +14.0% |
| South Korea | 9,513,576 | 11,820,591 | +2,307,015 | +24.2% |
| Venezuela | 457,110 | 2,547,971 | +2,090,861 | +457.4% |
| Vietnam | 6,782,139 | 8,156,779 | +1,374,640 | +20.3% |
| Canada | 12,863,082 | 13,986,574 | +1,123,492 | +8.7% |
| Declined | Comparison period | Last 3 months | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 7,202,108 | 5,620,911 | -1,581,197 | -22.0% |
| Germany | 3,539,533 | 2,973,211 | -566,322 | -16.0% |
| Peru | 1,183,414 | 802,351 | -381,063 | -32.2% |
| Singapore | 2,486,472 | 2,171,915 | -314,557 | -12.7% |
| Colombia | 3,741,813 | 3,505,172 | -236,641 | -6.3% |
Top importers in October 2026
176,452 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 25 salt, stone, and cement | |
| 6 | Importer, HS 27 mineral fuels and oils | |
| 7 | Importer, HS 44 wood | |
| 8 | Importer, HS 25 salt, stone, and cement |
12-month trend
| Month | Weight (tonnes) | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Sep 2026 | 48,858,783 | 1,889,147 |
| Oct 2026 | 49,226,094 | 1,918,394 |
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 2620 (slag, ash and residues) went from 5,780 tonnes to 125,000 tonnes. Treat with caution: jumps this size often reflect a few large transactions or a classification change.
- Plastics (HS 39) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Electrical equipment (HS 85) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Other textile articles (HS 63) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
- Glass (HS 70) reached its highest monthly level since January 2025.
United States import facts, October 2026
- In October 2026, the United States imported 49.2 million tonnes of goods, up 0.8% from September 2026 and up 9.4% from October 2025.
- No product heading was larger than crude petroleum (HS 2709), at 2.48 million tonnes.
- The largest increase came from pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates... (HS 2517): 264,000 tonnes more than in September 2026, up 40.5%.
- Refined petroleum fuels (HS 2710) fell by 713,000 tonnes from September 2026, more than any other product.
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, October 2026: frequently asked questions
How much did the United States import in October 2026?
The United States imported 49.2 million tonnes in October 2026, up 0.8% from September 2026 and up 9.4% from October 2025, according to CargoFax customs records.
What does the United States import?
In October 2026, the United States' largest imports were crude petroleum (HS 2709, 2.48 million tonnes), mineral fuels and oils (chapter only) (HS 27, 2.35 million tonnes), and furniture and parts thereof, n.e.c. in chapter 94 (HS 9403, 1.14 million tonnes). The largest HS chapter was mineral fuels and oils, with 13.7% of the total.
Where does the United States import from?
The top countries of lading for the United States' imports in October 2026 were China (23.7%), Canada (9.6%), and South Korea (8.1%), by share of weight.
Are the United States' imports going up or down?
The United States' imports are rising. From August 2026 to October 2026, they totaled 150 million tonnes, up 8.3% from the same months last year. Year to date, the United States' imports are down 2.9% from the same period of 2025.
What are the United States' main ports of entry?
In October 2026, the United States' main points of entry were Los Angeles, California with 11.9%, New York/Newark Area, Newark, New Jersey with 10.1%, and Long Beach, California with 9.8% of imports.
Which shipping lines carry the most imports into the United States?
By weight, the largest carriers of the United States' imports in October 2026 were MSC MEDITTERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY with 11.7%, COMPAGNIE MARITIME D'AFFRETEMENT with 8.1%, and MAERSK LINE with 7.9%.
How many companies import into the United States?
176,452 distinct importers appear in the United States' customs records for October 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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