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State of U.S. Imports: Q3 2022

U.S. ocean import activity from July 2022 through September 2022, 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 2,175,788 shipments in Q3 2022, down 31.1% versus Q2 2022 and up 102.6% year-over-year.
  • The highest-volume import category was Nonadjustable, and parts thereof (HS 820411), with 27,180 shipments (-21.9% quarter-over-quarter).
  • The fastest-growing high-volume category was Articles for Christmas festivities and parts and accessories thereof (HS 950510), up 64.9% from the prior quarter to 5,215 shipments.
  • CHINA was the largest origin country with 832,119 shipments — 38.2% of all U.S. ocean imports.
  • The busiest U.S. port of entry was NEW YORK/NEWARK AREA, NEWARK, NJ, receiving 394,670 shipments.
  • The largest importer by shipment count was IKEA SUPPLY AG, with 34,103 shipments.
Shipments
2,175,788
Containers
2,973,258
Quarter over quarter
-31.1%
vs Q2 2022
Year over year
+102.6%
vs Q3 2021

Monthly shipment volume

530,400
July 2022
1,008,524
August 2022
636,864
September 2022

Top import categories

Fastest growing

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

CountryShipmentsQoQ
CHINA832,119-29.0%
GERMANY125,385-28.9%
INDIA105,391-33.6%
VIET NAM92,603-32.6%
ITALY89,303-35.8%
REPUBLIC OF KOREA78,946-33.9%
TAIWAN67,223-32.6%
JAPAN60,078-29.7%
BELGIUM47,842-31.2%
THAILAND44,935-29.9%

Busiest U.S. ports

Port of entryShipmentsQoQ
NEW YORK/NEWARK AREA, NEWARK, NJ394,670-29.6%
LONG BEACH, CA352,278-36.1%
LOS ANGELES, CA318,814-40.2%
SAVANNAH, GA152,521-21.0%
HOUSTON, TX142,757-25.3%
NORFOLK, VA113,009-29.0%
CHARLESTON, SC105,657-25.2%
SEATTLE, WA100,135-24.8%
TACOMA, WA78,354-16.6%
NEW YORK, NY66,118-36.1%

Largest importers

Largest suppliers

Methodology & citation

Figures are counts of U.S. Customs bill of lading records for ocean freight arriving at U.S. ports between July 2022 and September 2022. Product categories are 6-digit Harmonized System subheadings. Quarter-over-quarter compares Q2 2022, year-over-year compares Q3 2021. Shipment counts are records, not TEU or customs value.

This report is free to cite with attribution: “ImportDoor, State of U.S. Imports: Q3 2022 — U.S. Customs bill of lading data”, linked to this page.