Importers & Exporters Top 100 2026
The weakening market for new US car sales has a silver lining for importers of aftermarket parts used to maintain and repair vehicles, such as wheels, tires, filters, batteries and brakes. Customers of Advance Auto Parts, who are often in one of the most economically depressed cohorts, typically would rather keep their cars running a little longer than shop for a new car, said Shane O’ Kelly, president, CEO and director of the retailer.
“ That car is how they get to work; it’ s how they get to church; [ how ] they get the kids to activities,” O’ Kelly told investors during a March 11 earnings call.“ If that thing is not running, they’ re getting it fixed, so I don’ t necessarily see demand curtailing.”
‘ General inconsistencies’
Auto parts importers have been looking— and will continue to look— at changing sourcing away from China to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent because of the higher tariffs imposed last year, according to Steve Hughes, a consultant for the aftermarket auto parts industry. But those changes can’ t happen overnight, Hughes explained, because it takes anywhere from six months to two years to set up operations in a new location.
Mainland China accounted for 35.2 % of US containerized automobile and auto parts imports last year, down from more than 40 % as recently as 2021, according to PIERS. The primary beneficiaries of China’ s declining market share, South Korea and Japan, have increased their combined share of the market to 27 % from 20.8 % during the same period.
“ If that car is not running, they’ re getting it fixed, so I don’ t necessarily see demand curtailing.” for finished vehicles and components makes it difficult to make strategic sourcing and production decisions, Daniels explained. Depending on the level of tariffs on each, it might be cheaper to import fully assembled cars, or it might make more sense to import the necessary pieces and assemble them in the US.
Despite these uncertainties, more than 700,000 automobiles and light trucks crossed Baltimore’ s docks for the 13th consecutive year in 2025, according to MPA data. Daniels said the port continues to develop infrastructure to support processing facilities in the region, adding that exports of damaged cars to West Africa to be used for parts remains a bright spot for the industry.
For containerized exports, the largest individual markets are the United Arab Emirates and Georgia, which accounted for 12 % and 11.8 % of outbound auto and part shipments, respectively, with no other country exceeding 10 %, according to PIERS.
email: bill. mongelluzzo @ spglobal. com
Auto sector sourcing shift slow to develop
Percentage share of US light vehicle and automobile parts imports by origin
TEU market share
100 % 93 %
80 %
100 60 %
40 %
20 %
0 % L 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
China South Korea Japan Germany Taiwan Other
L
Source: PIERS, S & P Global © 2026 S & P Global
Noel Hacegaba, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, said the port has experienced a general shift of sourcing of most imports, including autos and auto parts, away from China to other countries. Imports of passenger vehicles landing in Long Beach, mostly on ro / ro ships, were flat in 2025, while exports rose 6.2 % year over year, according to Hacegaba. Containerized auto parts imports through the port rose 1.1 %, while exports fell 15 %. Los Angeles-Long Beach is the busiest US port complex for containerized auto imports.
The Port of Baltimore, a major gateway for both ro / ro and containerized auto imports and exports, continues to feel the impact of tariffs. Those impacts are reflected in the higher prices consumers must pay, but the problem runs even deeper than cost, said Jonathan Daniels, executive director of the Maryland Port Administration( MPA).
“ The biggest issue we have seen with shippers is the general inconsistencies in the tariffs,” Daniels told the Journal of Commerce.
Although original equipment manufacturers take higher tariff costs as a given, not knowing the exact rate
Automotive imports stalling out amid higher tariffs
Containerized US light vehicle and automobile parts imports, in laden TEUs, with yearover-year change
TEU volume
160,000
30 % 140,683 140,000 30 %
120,000
100,000 100,000 80,000
60,000 40,000 20,000
Source: PIERS, S & P Global
20 %
100 %
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-20% |
|
Apr
L
|
Jul |
Oct |
Jan 2025 |
Apr |
Jul |
Oct |
Jan
Mar 2026,
2026Apr
|
TEU Year-over-year % change
0 %
-10 %
Year-over-year % change
© 2026 S & P Global www. joc. com May 4, 2026 | Journal of Commerce 29