U.S. retailers are frantically accelerating their imports through major ports, creating a significant surge in container traffic that's expected to continue through spring 2025, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report.

The rush comes as a double threat looms over the nation's supply chains: a potential strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports when the current contract extension expires January 15, and anticipated tariff increases under President-elect Donald Trump's administration.

"Either a strike or new tariffs would be a blow to the economy," said Jonathan Gold, National Retail Federation (NRF) Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy. "Retailers are doing what they can to avoid the impact of either for as long as they can."

The urgency follows failed negotiations between the International Longshoremen's Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, raising concerns about a repeat of October's three-day strike. Adding to the pressure, Trump has indicated plans to increase various tariffs after taking office on January 20.

Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, warns that time is running short for retailers to frontload cargo before potential disruptions. "Prospects of reaching a quick agreement on the key sticking point of automation are not looking good," he noted.

The impact is already visible in port traffic numbers. October saw 2.25 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled at major U.S. ports, marking a 9.3% increase year over year. November and December projections show even more dramatic increases, with expected year-over-year growth of 14.4% and 14.3% respectively.

The surge is expected to push 2024's total container volume to 25.6 million TEUs, a 14.8% increase from 2023 – significantly higher than earlier forecasts of 24.9 million TEUs made before the October strike and November elections.

Industry leaders are calling for swift resolution to both challenges. The NRF has led a coalition urging port negotiators to return to talks, while also appealing to the incoming administration to take a more targeted approach to tariffs rather than implementing broad-based increases on consumer goods.