Port of Long Beach records record container volume amid trade war impact

Port of Long Beach, US (Photo: Thomas Wasper / Phaata)

The Port of Long Beach, California (USA) recorded its busiest April in its history, handling 867,493 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), up 15.6% year-over-year.

The April volume surpassed the previous record set in April 2022 by 5.7%. Imports increased sharply, reaching 419,828 TEUs, up 15.1% year-over-year, while exports decreased 4.5% to 93,842 TEUs.

Most notably, empty containers jumped 23% to 353,824 TEUs, as demand for containers from Chinese ports fell amid a “de facto trade embargo” between the U.S. and China. Shipping lines canceled dozens of eastbound transpacific sailings and diverted vessels to higher-volume routes.

The strong April performance also marked the 11th consecutive month of increased cargo throughput for the Port of Long Beach, helping it join the Port of Los Angeles as the busiest container import gateway in the United States.

Despite the strong performance, however, the Port of Long Beach is bracing for a significant drop in volumes in May. Port officials expect imports to decline sharply, largely due to the impact of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs between China and the United States, which were suspended earlier this month.

“After moving the most containerized cargo of any American port in the first quarter of 2025, we are now anticipating a more than 10% drop-off in imports in May – and the effects will be felt beyond the docks. Soon, consumers could find fewer choices and higher prices on store shelves and the job market could see impacts, given the continuing uncertainty,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, in a press release. 

Still, the port’s year-to-date throughput through April was 3,403,069 TEUs, up 23.6 percent from the same period in 2024. This positive growth should give the port some room to respond to the expected “volume gap” in May.

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Freight Waves)

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