US CONTAINER import volumes fell slightly in June compared to May, but were markedly higher than pre-Covid levels of 2019, according to Descartes Systems Group's July Global Shipping Report.

Descartes' data shows that container import volumes in June came in at 2,081,793 TEU, down 0.7 per cent from May 2023. While down 16.1 per cent compared to June 2022, against last month's import volume, which was six per cent higher than in June 2019.

The July report shows slightly stronger import volume performance in June compared to previous years amid signs that key challenges to global supply chain performance, such as US west coast labour relations and port transit time delays.

Unlike the first four months of 2023, the growth in import volume last month accelerated past 2019 volume by 2.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, Chinese imports increased slightly, by 0.3 per cent, over May to 783,019 TEU, but were still down 22 per cent from last August's high.

"While June US container import volumes were down, they did not recede as much as in the past," said Descartes vice president Chris Jones.

"Port transit time delays fell to their lowest level since Descartes started tracking them and the volume share at west coast ports exceeded the share at east coast ports for the first time since March 2022," Mr Jones said.