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The bustling activity at America’s seaports added $5.4 trillion to the economy in 2018 by way of revenue to businesses, personal income and economic output by exporters and importers.

The nation’s biggest ports are off to a mixed start compared with 2018’s record year, showing slower 20-foot-equivalent container volume as the economy gradually slows and with U.S.-China trade talks set to resume shortly.

The nation’s major ports finished 2018 setting monthly and yearly container volume records, and industry experts said 2019 is off to a strong start. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said on Feb. 24 he is delaying the scheduled March 1 increase in the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports.

The nation’s ports continued to see steady growth in November cargo volume, as shippers moved goods to the United States from overseas in advance of the holiday shopping season and rushed to get cargo stateside ahead of expected tariffs on shipments from China.

The trade association that represents the nation’s ports has written to the leadership of United States Customs and Border Protection expressing concern about the costs that CBP expects ports to absorb for new and upgraded facilities to house CBP staff.

September and October were record months for many of the nation’s ports as shippers prepared for a busy holiday shopping season and rushed to get cargo into the U.S. ahead of the Trump administration’s tariffs against several nations, including China.

The Port of Corpus Christi and investment firm The Carlyle Group will team to develop an inland crude oil export terminal for some of the world’s largest oil tankers.

As of Oct. 1, any Class 8 trucks entering service for the first time at either the Port of Los Angeles or the Port of Long Beach must be model year 2014 or newer under a change implemented at the nation’s two largest ports.

With a strong U.S. economy, a tight freight market and a looming trade war, industry experts believe shippers have been rushing to get products into the United States several weeks early — ahead of tariffs being implemented by the Trump administration and before the approaching holiday shopping season ramps up.