The looming port strike in the US may have been resolved, but imports are likely to continue surging, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). The reason? The tariff threats made by incoming president Donald Trump.

The new contract between the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) "brings certainty and avoids disruptions," said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy, in a statement issued Friday (Jan. 10).  However, because the agreement came at "the very last minute," import cargo will likely remain elevated in January, he said.

"Retailers were already bringing in spring merchandise early to ensure that they would be well-stocked to serve their customers in case of another disruption, resulting in higher imports," explained Gold.

Seafood importers had the same thoughts, as previously reported by Undercurrent News. 

But Gold added that the recent surge hasn't just been related to the threats of port closures.

"The surge in imports has also been driven by president-elect Trump's plan to increase tariffs because retailers want to avoid higher costs that will eventually be paid by consumers," he said. "The long-term impact on imports remains to be seen."

Trump has promised to impose 25% tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico on "day one" of his term as the 47th president of the US. His threat also included raising tariffs another 10% on China. Undercurrent calculated that Trump's tariff threats could cost US seafood importers as much as another $1.2 billion annually, based on 2023 import totals.