U.S. containerized imports rose 3.8% from July to 2,603,709 TEUs in August, the third-highest monthly total on record and 3.3% above August 2025, according to Descartes Datamyne data. Higher volumes at major East, Gulf and West Coast gateways coincided with broader gains across sourcing countries, although transit delays increased at all 10 major ports. August imports trailed only May 2022's 2,622,465 TEUs and July 2025's 2,621,910 TEUs, while remaining 21.5% above August 2019's pre-pandemic level. Cumulative imports through the first eight months of 2026 were still down 0.4% year over year, but the August increase narrowed that deficit and reversed the July-to-August declines recorded in 2024 and 2025. East and Gulf Coast ports captured 40.7% of August imports, up from 39.8% in July, while the West Coast share fell to 43.9% from 45%. The 10 largest gateways handled 84.6% of imports and added 80,661 TEUs, with New York/Newark and Savannah posting the largest gains. China-origin imports rose 1.3% from July but slipped as a share of total U.S. imports, while Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia recorded substantial monthly increases. The data came amid expanded U.S. tariff exposure, Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea disruptions, and tighter Panama Canal capacity. The August performance indicates that U.S. import demand remained durable despite growing policy, routing and operating risks.