The United States has introduced a new round of import tariffs after months of strong cargo volumes driven by businesses rushing to bring goods into the country before higher duties took effect. The new measures replace the temporary 10% global tariff that expired on 24 July. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) , the new action imposes tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 . According to USTR, the action follows a Section 301 investigation which concluded that the affected economies failed to adequately prohibit or enforce restrictions on goods produced with forced labour. The agency said the tariffs are intended to address both forced labour concerns and unfair trade practices. “President Trump recognizes that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labor from global supply chains,” said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer . According to USTR, the tariffs cover the vast majority of US imports, while several product categories remain exempt, including oil, natural gas, fertilisers and certain critical minerals. Existing national security tariffs on products such as steel and aluminium also remain in place. Impact on container shipping According to Reuters , the new tariff regime follows months of record import activity as US retailers and manufacturers accelerated shipments before the new duties took effect. The surge in front-loaded cargo boosted container volumes on major trans-Pacific trade lanes and supported vessel utilisation during the first half of the year. According to Reuters, analysts now expect import volumes to normalise as companies reassess sourcing strategies, inventory levels and shipping schedules under the new tariff framework. The changes could also influence freight demand during the second half of the year, particularly on Asia–US container trades. Trading partners respond According to Reuters, several affected econo