According to Anadolu Ajansi, commercial vessel traffic between China and the US dropped by 27% in April 2025 due to escalating tariff tensions.
On April 1-25, 2024, some 119 commercial vessels from China arrived in the US, carrying containers, dry and wet bulk, and more, according to data from the MarineTraffic website compiled by Anadolu. Of the total 119 commercial vessels, 69 of them were container ships, 35 carried dry cargo, and six shipped with mixed dry, and the rest were live cargo and roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ships, Anadolu reports.
Over the same period this year, some 87 commercial vessels from China docked in US ports, revealing a 27% decline. Of the total 87, 66 were container vessels and 18 were dry cargo, while there was one each of live cargo, mixed dry cargo, and ro-ro vessels.
Some 38 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 6 liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels arrived empty from China to the US in April 2024. These vessels returned empty after delivering LPG and LNG from the US to Chinese ports, while only one LPG vessel returned to the US in April 2025.
China significantly reduced its LPG and LNG imports from the US at the peak of tariffs, while opting to make purchases from countries, especially in the Middle East, to meet its LPG requirements.
Chinese exports to US down 21% in April
China’s exports to the US declined 21% on an annual basis in April. Despite marking a sharp decline, this was deemed as a smaller shock than market expectations.
The lower-than-expected decline may point to US importers’ efforts to absorb tariff costs due to difficulties finding alternatives, but this situation could result in higher prices for end consumers in the US, according to an ING Think analysis.
Experts consider the slower-than-expected decline in Chinese exports to the US as a factor that gave Chinese officials the upper hand ahead of high-level trade talks in Geneva last weekend, Anadolu notes.
US-China trade relations remain strained despite the temporary truce
Tariffs spiked in early April, with the US imposing rates up to 145% and China retaliating at 125%. While both sides agreed to reduce these rates to 30% and 10% respectively during the 90-day window, uncertainty still clouds the future of bilateral trade. China’s exports to the US fell 21% year-over-year in April, a smaller-than-expected drop that may reflect limited alternative sourcing options for US importers.
The impact of the tariffs has been severe. The WTO warned that if high tariffs persist beyond the truce, US-China trade could plunge by as much as 81% this year, reshaping global trade routes. With US-China trade valued at $582.4 billion in 2024 and a $295 billion US trade deficit, sustained disruption could have wide-ranging economic effects unless a more permanent resolution is found.
