Consumer goods brought in earlier than usual to avoid new tariffs powered new year container volume to record highs at the Port of Long Beach.
The second-busiest U.S. container gateway and neighbor to the top-ranked Port of Los Angeles in Southern California’s San Pedro Bay complex, in a release said it had moved 952,733 twenty-foot equivalent units in January, up 41.4% from the same month the previous year and surpassing the old record set in January 2022, by 18.9%.
Imports soared 45% to 471,649 TEUs — the second-busiest month ever — as retailers frontloaded shipments ahead of planned tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada.
Exports increased 14% to 98,655 TEUs. Empty containers, an indicator of future inbound traffic, surged 45.9% to 382,430 TEUs.
“It’s encouraging to start off the year so strongly,” said Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Mario Cordero, in the release. “We will continue to focus on enhancing both our competitiveness and sustainability, no matter the uncertainties in the supply chain.”
January marked the eighth consecutive monthly year-over-year cargo increase and follows a record 9,649,724 TEUs moved in 2024.
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