Container demand clouded as front-loading swells inventories
- Inventory buildup from tariff-driven front-loading is dampening container demand
- Experts warn that the ‘artificial’ trade boom could trigger a ‘whiplash’ downturn in 2026 as demand payback hits
- Peak season expectations are being dashed as shippers cautiously await US-China trade talk results
Tariff‑led front-loading has pushed US July container imports to near‑record highs, lifting inventory levels and deepening risks of a shipping slowdown
