A Look at What’s in Store for the US Port Industry in 2025

Container cargo volume at the United States’ 361 commercial ports will grow by a modest 2 percent in 2025, a significant decline from 2024’s projected 9 percent increase, according to a November financial forecast by Moody’s Ratings. Slowing economic growth and weakening consumer spending are among the primary factors influencing the flat projection, although Moody’s notes that its forecasted 2 percent increase is regarded as stable, while “a positive outlook would be considered if volume growth were to exceed 3 percent” in 2025. Moody’s said its estimated 9 percent 2024 boost was buoyed by an 11 percent increase in shipping activity over the first eight months of the year, largely a result of retailers restocking inventories after the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic disrupted manufacturing....