Frontloading of cargo resulted in an increase in US imports by air in April and May as companies looked to get ahead of the imposition of tariffs.
Figures from consultant Aevean show that total air imports into the US were up by 8% year on year, or 67,000 tonnes, during the two months.
The figures also revealed a shift away from China, with volumes from the country declining by 20% year on year (or 35,000 tonnes). Laptop and electronics volumes were some of the biggest losers from China during the period.
The decline comes as the US has hit China with tariffs of 30%, although they did reach as high as 145% during the period, and ended the country’s ability to benefit from the de minimis exemption that allowed e-commerce to enter duty free.
While demand from China was down across the two months, volumes from other countries have more than made up for the decline.
Vietnam was the main beneficiary as its volumes increased by 94% (or 28,000 tonnes) compared with a year ago, with laptops and earphone accessories on the rise.
Taiwan also benefited as its air exports to the US were up 69% year on year, or by 20,000 tonnes, led by computer components.
Italy and France were also key volume drivers as demand for shoes, handbags and pharma helped increase air volumes to the US by a combined 25,000 tonnes.
Commenting on LinkedIn, Aevean head of consulting Maarten Wormer said the increase in air imports to the US was a ”story of frontloading and trade shifts of laptops, electronics, handbags, fish, and more”.
The US removal of the de minimis exemption for packages from China in May resulted in a 43% decline in e-commerce shipments from China to the US with volumes switching to other destinations.
Other changes as a result of the tariffs, are a boost in smartphone volumes out of India to the US and laptop volumes from Vietnam to the US.
