Tariff two-step: After pause, China-US container bookings soar 277%

And just like that, the United States is back in the China import business.

Demand soared as shippers rushed to book space on container vessels headed to the U.S., just one day after the trade partners agreed to pause reciprocal tariffs that had reduced by a third volumes on the eastbound trans-Pacific.

Some of the first hard data to come out of the tariff timeout showed just how much inventory was sitting in warehouses, factories and ports waiting for a resolution to what had become a global trade war.

A rolling seven-day average of container bookings from China to the U.S. saw 5,709 twenty-foot equivalent units on May 5, Ben Tracy, vice president of strategic business development for shipping analyst Vizion, wrote in a LinkedIn post. As of Tuesday, that figure had rocketed to 21,530 TEUs, an increase of 277%.

“We are definitely starting to see the bookings return now that this temporary pause is in effect,” Tracy said.

There had been widespread uncertainty throughout the supply chain over how quickly business would resume.

Ryan Petersen of forwarder FlexPort in a Monday post on X said booking inquiries with his company were up 35%.

But liner operator Maersk (MAERSK-B.CO) on Wednesday was offering shippers deep discounts on spot rates for door-to-door transportation to and from dozens of U.S. destinations, as it looks to fill available capacity on ships.

This article was edited May 14 to correct the bookings percentage gain.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

Related coverage:

Maersk looks to fill up container ships in a flash (sale)

Pause and effect: Container rates await new demand

Ocean lines welcome tariff pause, but is the supply chain ready?

Less China means more business for Port of Virginia

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