Amazon handles imported goods from China by reserving space on ocean vessels and organizing its own logistics. Wholesalers that manufacture in China can reserve spaces in these containers through Amazon to ship to the west coast of the US.
In 2018, Amazon shipped more than 5,300 containers from China to the US, according to USA Today.
This eases some of the retailer's reliance on global shipping companies. Amazon does not own any of its own ships.