Expected Increase in U.S. Imports for June

The impending expiration date of the U.S. tariff increase pause [July 9, 2025] is driving up imports in America even for June.

With an imminent wave of imports expected at U.S. ports following the expiration of the 90-day suspension of U.S. tariffs, the entire logistics system in America, from port operators to freight companies, both rail and road, is gearing up to meet the increased demand for domestic transportation in the United States

Key suppliers of chassis for freight transport, TRAC Intermodal, DCLI, and FlexiVan, are taking extensive preventive measures to ensure the operational continuity of U.S. logistics chains by positioning tens of thousands of chassis at all major U.S. ports and inland logistics hubs. In America, the chassis in question are those used to move containers within the ports of arrival: from freight docks to warehouses and loading areas where the containers are delivered to the trucks of various carriers responsible for the delivery to the final recipient in America. 

The experience gained from the COVID pandemic, where the entire U.S. domestic transportation logistics infrastructure faced significant setbacks due to the sudden increase in imports, has taught American transport companies a lot, whether in road transport or freight rail, as well as cargo operators at major U.S. ports of entry.

The three operators have launched an accelerated program to bring tens of thousands of currently unused chassis back into service:

• Inspection and Upgrade – Each unit undergoes structural checks, brake system restoration, and tire replacement, according to AAR/FRA standards.
• Strategic Repositioning – The refurbished chassis are sent to intermodal hubs in Chicago, Dallas, and Memphis, critical nodes for domestic distribution in the U.S. market where, during the pandemic, acute equipment shortages were observed.
• Predictive Tracking – Telematics systems (GPS and IoT sensors) allow for usage status tracking and quick intervention in case of bottlenecks.

On the rail side, Class I companies are also preparing to support the increased volumes. Norfolk Southern (NS), in particular, will introduce a temporary storage cost adjustment starting in July for maritime containers not withdrawn within the standard grace period. The measure:

• Does not affect domestic intermodal loads.
• It is temporary and will remain in effect only until demand levels return to normal.
• It is supported by operational performance indicators currently showing stable service levels across the NS network.

Coordination between chassis managers, port terminals, freight train management companies, and road transport companies for the U.S. market is crucial to avoid congestion similar to what occurred between 2021 and 2022. The use of demand forecasting algorithms, integrated with end-to-end visibility systems, allows for proactive resource and storage space allocation, reducing container dwell times and optimizing chassis turnaround cycles.

In summary, the combination of preventive maintenance, targeted equipment repositioning, and contingent pricing policies represents the joint response of the American intermodal transport industry to absorb the anticipated wave of increased imports into the U.S. as the expiration of the U.S. tariff suspension approaches and to maintain a smooth logistics flow during the summer period.