State of U.S. Imports: Q3 2020
U.S. ocean import activity from July 2020 through September 2020, from U.S. Customs bill of lading records.
Sourced from U.S. Customs bill of lading data · Updated monthly · Data through May 2026
Key findings
- U.S. ocean imports totaled 2,535,150 shipments in Q3 2020, up 4.5% versus Q2 2020.
- The highest-volume import category was Other wooden furniture (HS 940360), with 20,665 shipments (+57.9% quarter-over-quarter).
- The fastest-growing high-volume category was Other glassware of lead crystal (HS 701391), up 227.3% from the prior quarter to 7,835 shipments.
- The steepest decline among high-volume categories was Toilet paper and similar paper, cellulose wadding or webs of cellulose fibers, of a kind… (HS 481810), down 75.5% quarter-over-quarter.
- CHINA was the largest origin country with 1,068,517 shipments — 42.1% of all U.S. ocean imports.
- The busiest U.S. port of entry was LOS ANGELES, CA, receiving 597,259 shipments.
- The largest importer by shipment count was IKEA SUPPLY AG, with 27,761 shipments.
Monthly shipment volume
Top import categories
Fastest growing
| Product (HS code) | Shipments | QoQ |
|---|---|---|
| Other glassware of lead crystal701391 | 7,835 | +227.3% |
| Personal weighing machines, including baby scales842310 | 9,601 | +142.5% |
| Refrigerators, household type, other841829 | 4,122 | +111.2% |
| Other garments, women's or girls' of other textile materials621149 | 8,397 | +99.1% |
| Not knitted or crocheted, of cotton630492 | 14,987 | +91.7% |
Steepest declines
Among categories with at least 1,000 shipments this quarter and 500 the prior quarter, across the 100 highest-volume HS codes.
Top origin countries
| Country | Shipments | QoQ |
|---|---|---|
| CHINA | 1,068,517 | -10.4% |
| GERMANY | 130,273 | +16.4% |
| INDIA | 95,168 | +83.4% |
| ITALY | 90,840 | +27.3% |
| VIET NAM | 88,130 | +33.9% |
| REPUBLIC OF KOREA | 81,347 | +6.6% |
| TAIWAN | 75,372 | +2.4% |
| JAPAN | 66,566 | +5.3% |
| BELGIUM | 57,014 | +13.1% |
| HONG KONG | 48,025 | +8.5% |
Busiest U.S. ports
| Port of entry | Shipments | QoQ |
|---|---|---|
| LOS ANGELES, CA | 597,259 | +71.2% |
| NEW YORK/NEWARK AREA, NEWARK, NJ | 448,643 | +29.6% |
| LONG BEACH, CA | 421,275 | +25.0% |
| SAVANNAH, GA | 136,416 | +28.2% |
| HOUSTON, TX | 127,279 | +18.6% |
| TACOMA, WA | 103,776 | +13.4% |
| CHARLESTON, SC | 101,051 | +11.3% |
| NORFOLK, VA | 90,980 | +23.6% |
| OAKLAND, CA | 78,883 | -85.9% |
| SEATTLE, WA | 73,219 | +12.2% |
Largest importers
| Importer | Shipments |
|---|---|
| IKEA SUPPLY AG | 27,761 |
| DOLE FRESH FRUIT COMPANY | 12,683 |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC | 9,828 |
| WALMART INC | 6,218 |
| ROOMS TO GO | 5,402 |
| LG ELECTRONICS USA | 5,074 |
| WAL MART INC | 4,897 |
| SCHAEFFLER GROUP USA INC | 3,922 |
| AT HOME PROCUREMENT INC | 3,673 |
| GOLDEN STATE FC LLC | 3,554 |
Largest suppliers
| Supplier | Shipments |
|---|---|
| WANG ZHANG JIANG | 21,570 |
| ZHANG LU | 9,791 |
| JENNY | 7,761 |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | 7,694 |
| LG ELECTRONICS INC | 6,896 |
| THAI SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | 4,991 |
| UNION DE BANANEROS ECUATORIANOS S A | 3,810 |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS DIGITAL APPLIAN | 2,755 |
| NINGBO JOYSIMPORT&EXPORTCO LTD | 2,419 |
| GIORGIO GORI WAREHOUSE | 2,353 |
Methodology & citation
Figures are counts of U.S. Customs bill of lading records for ocean freight arriving at U.S. ports between July 2020 and September 2020. Product categories are 6-digit Harmonized System subheadings. Quarter-over-quarter compares Q2 2020, year-over-year compares Q3 2019. Shipment counts are records, not TEU or customs value.
This report is free to cite with attribution: “ImportDoor, State of U.S. Imports: Q3 2020 — U.S. Customs bill of lading data”, linked to this page.