90 Days of Chaos? Imports from China Spike as Tariff Clock Ticks

U.S. businesses are rushing to ship goods from China following a temporary 90-day tariff pause announced by President Trump earlier this week. Freight bookings from China skyrocketed nearly 300% compared to the week before — the highest level seen this year.

The sudden spike follows a turbulent month for importers, who had frozen shipments after Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese goods to over 145%. With those rates now dialed back to 30%, businesses are scrambling to get delayed orders moving before the window closes.

“Over the past month, we saw a huge drop-off in trans-Pacific trade — especially from China — dropping by 60% or more,” said Jessica Dankert, VP of supply chain at the Retail Industry Leaders Association. “Now that we have relative certainty for the next 90 days, we definitely expect to see volumes ramp back up.”

🧠 Why It Matters:
The rush to import goods may seem like a win for businesses — but it’s creating a ripple effect that could lead to new challenges.

⏳ Supply Chain Squeeze Incoming?

While companies are breathing a sigh of relief in the short term, logistics experts are warning of looming bottlenecks. The global shipping system can only handle so much, and we’re approaching full capacity.

“There’s only a certain amount of capacity in that pipe,” said Bryan Gross, a principal at PwC. “There’s only so many container ships, so many port appointments. That bubble of goods is going to start flowing through the system — but it’s constrained.”

Translation: expect delays. Shipping times from China to the U.S. typically take around a month, but with limited space at ports and on trucks, some goods could be stuck in transit for much longer.

And as the rush builds, so do prices. Freight rates have already started climbing — a trend that could continue as we head into back-to-school and holiday shipping seasons.

🚨 Retailers Face Tough Calls

Retailers are particularly vulnerable. If container ships flood U.S. ports now, that same fleet may not be back in China in time for peak season restocking.

“What may be an issue in two months — peak retail season — is a shortage of containers and ships available in China,” said Ben Tracy, VP of strategic business development at Vizion.

Companies are now forced to make high-stakes decisions based on uncertainty. Do they rush to ship now and gamble on port congestion, or hold off and risk missing their selling window?

🎆 Fireworks Industry Feeling the Heat

One sector already facing fallout: fireworks. Many U.S. importers canceled their orders in April when tariffs surged, making it financially unfeasible to bring in inventory.

“Everybody is scrambling now to try to take advantage of the 90-day pause,” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. “But bookings take time. It’s not like flipping a switch — some shipments may not arrive before the Fourth of July.”

And the implications go beyond this summer. With the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence happening next year, demand is expected to explode (pun intended). But with Chinese factories paused during April, production time has been lost, raising concerns that 2026 could also see shortages.

🧭 What Comes Next?

While companies are trying to capitalize on the 90-day tariff reprieve, the bigger question looms: What happens after that window closes?

Retailers are pushing for long-term clarity so they can plan ahead, invest in inventory, and avoid overcorrections.

“Now that we have a bit more certainty in the immediate future, we can plan to get critical goods in production and on the water,” said Dankert. “But the industry needs stability — the ability to make longer-term decisions without this constant volatility.”

💡 Bottom Line

• Tariff Pause = Import Surge: Shipments from China to the U.S. are spiking after Trump’s temporary rollback on tariffs.

• Supply Chain Bottlenecks Ahead: Limited port capacity, container ships, and trucks could slow down deliveries.

• Retailers + Fireworks on Edge: Timing is everything, and some industries may already be too late to meet peak season deadlines.

• Uncertainty Remains: Businesses want long-term clarity — not just temporary fixes — to stabilize operations.

With the trade relationship between the U.S. and China still in flux, this 90-day breather may be just a short calm before another storm. 🌩️