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New York on July 14 became the first state to implement a moratorium on large data centers, banning the construction of facilities larger than 50 megawatts for one year to study the effects on the environment and public utilities. The state said it is fielding multiple proposals for data center projects“ that could require massive amounts of energy and water to run and cool thousands of computer servers.”
“ This is not a seasonal thing. It will be consistent for the next three years.”
Other states have shown displeasure with the data center buildout, with lawmakers in Maine, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia either announcing opposition or pursuing restrictions because of the huge amount of electricity the facilities consume.
“ As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’ s my responsibility to take action,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
‘ Not a seasonal thing’
For now, data center buildouts are generating a surprising volume of US imports that show no sign of diminishing, certainly not in the next few months.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which account for about 50 % of all US imports from Asia, according to PIERS, say that data center, industrial, infrastructure and other non-consumer imports account for 20 % to 25 % of their total inbound volumes.
Jon Monroe, an adviser to forwarders, said that while China’ s advantage in the manufacturing of footwear, apparel and various consumer items has lessened, the
US data center-related imports spike
Containerized US imports of cargoes required for data center construction
TEU volume
35,000 30,000 25,000
19,988 20,000 100,000 85,000
, 0
15,000 10,000 5,000
100,000 95,000 90,000
80,000 75,000 70,000
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
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65,000 |
|
Jul
L
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Oct |
Jan 2025 |
Apr |
Jul |
Oct |
Jan 2026 |
Apr,
2026Jul
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Power Networking Cooling IT hardware Infrastructure( right axis)
Source: PIERS, S & P Global
TEU volume
© 2026 S & P Global production of data center and industrial inputs is centered there, so factories are rushing to expand their output.
“ This is not a seasonal thing,” Monroe said.“ It will be consistent for the next three years.”
Growing imports of non-consumer products are reflected in volumes from China, which rose 32 % year over year in May and June, compared with an 18.2 % increase in total imports from Asia. Those comparisons are based on import levels that plummeted after the widespread tariffs the US implemented in April 2025.
The industrial imports helped keep spot rates elevated amid the retail-driven frontloading during the second quarter and into July, but eastbound trans-Pacific pricing has begun to soften of late, suggesting the momentum generated by that frontloading is losing steam.
The average spot rate from Asia to the US West Coast slipped to $ 6,040 per FEU in the week of July 17, down 17.3 % from the previous and the first week-over-week drop since late April, according to Platts, also part of S & P Global. Even so, the rate was still up nearly 250 % compared with the same week last year.
Forwarders say some of the larger alliance carriers have extended the current rates through July 31, while a carrier source said spot rates to the West Coast“ have calmed down and stabilized” as liners over the past month introduced extra-loader vessels to the trade lane.
12 Journal of Commerce | August 3, 2026 www. joc. com