- Tariffs Down from 54% Peak After Trump’s April Freeze.
- July 9 Deadline Drives Global Rush to Avoid Tariff Hike.
- Maersk Reports Strong Container Demand Amid Uncertainty.
Maersk, the Danish shipping powerhouse, has revealed that companies are currently facing an average effective U.S. import tariff of 21% per container load. This marks a notable decrease from the staggering 54% peak rate that was observed earlier this year, reports Reuters.
Tariff Peak Came After Trump’s April Announcement
According to Maersk, the earlier surge in tariffs was largely due to the measures introduced by President Donald Trump on April 2, which targeted nearly all U.S. trading partners. “The whole world is on tariff watch in July and August where various deadlines for potential trade deals with the U.S. expire,” Maersk said.
Deadline Pressure Sparks Global Trade Talks
With a July 9 deadline approaching, more than a dozen major U.S. trading partners are rushing to finalize deals to avoid further tariff hikes. “The outcome of these negotiations will of course colour global trade and consumer sentiment in the months to come,” it added.
Strong Container Demand in the First Half
Despite market volatility, Maersk observed robust container demand growth in H1 2025, in part due to customers moving up their orders. “What played out was not completely unexpected, and we did see customers advance orders ahead of the tariff announcements,” it said.
U.S. Importers Reduce China Exposure
The company noted that many American clients—especially in apparel and fashion—have diversified supply chains away from China. “Many apparel and fashion customers have now reached single-digit China dependency,” it said.
However, some sectors remain reliant: “Other commodities like home improvements have a significantly higher level of Chinese manufacturing due to the nature of the goods,” it added.
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Source: Reuters
