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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Port of Los Angeles and neighboring Port of Long Beach, which handle about 40% of all cargo containers entering the U.S., reported a year-over-year dip in cargo activity in September, amid U.S. tariff pressures.
The Port of Long Beach moved 797,537 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, down 3.9% from September 2024. Imports dropped 6.9% to 388,084 TEUs, while exports dipped 3.6% to 85,081 TEUs. At the Port of Los Angeles, dockworkers processed 883,053 TEUs in September, down 7.5% compared to last year.
"Tariffs are impacting how consumers and business owners make financial decisions and purchases," said Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Officer Mario Cordero. The port's tracker is forecasting a "relatively stable" October, followed by a "slight decline in November due to anticipated weather-related delays and vessel scheduling changes."
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka also discussed how tariffs are impacting cargo activity: "As trade policy unfolds, we can only predict more unpredictability ... When sweeping changes were first announced, importers abruptly stopped their orders from China. When those policies were softened and deadlines extended, cargo volume picked up again. The supply chain has been on a roller coaster all year, and that ride continues."
"Tariffs in one area tend to lead to rising prices in other segments. In the end, making goods more expensive," Seroka added.
President Donald Trump has been threatening what could be perhaps his most impactful tariff yet: a 155% tariff on Chinese imports starting November 1. It remains to be seen if the president will follow through. Trump and China's Xi Jinping are expected to discuss the U.S.-China tariff spat at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, running from October 31 to November 1.
It remains to be seen whether or not tariffs and economic uncertainty will impact demand for consumer goods during the holiday season. Deloitte (London, England) forecasts U.S. retail sales between November 1 and January 31 will grow just 2.9%-3.4%--down from 4.2% last year--resulting in the slowest growth since 2020. However, e-commerce sales are expected to grow between 7% and 9% year-over-year during the 2025-2026 holiday season, contributing to overall retail sales growth during this period.
In a related press release, Natalie Martini, vice chair, Deloitte, and U.S. retail and consumer products leader, said, "We expect this holiday season to demonstrate the resiliency of consumers as they continue to face economic uncertainty. Our forecast anticipates that e-commerce sales will stay strong as consumers keep leveraging online deals to stretch their spending power. Retailers who remain focused on delivering value throughout the season have a prime opportunity to drive growth during what continues to be a critical time for their businesses."
Although year-over-year cargo handling activity at the two major California ports dropped in September, each reported strong third-quarter figures: Long Beach moved 2,643,614 TEUs between July 1 and September 30, leading to its second-busiest quarter on record. Los Angeles closed the third quarter with 2.9 million TEUs moved, its best three-month quarter ever.
For the first nine months of 2025, the Port of Long Beach handled 7,390,245 TEUs, up 6.8% from the same period in 2024. The Port of Los Angeles moved 7,817,057 TEUs through September, 3% more than the same period last year.
Infrastructure improvements at the ports serve to benefit cargo movement throughout California and across the country. This includes construction of Long Beach's Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, which is designed to double the port's capacity to handle cargo by train. The project, which will be built in phases, broke ground in 2024, and the entire facility is expected to be completed by 2032. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for related project reports
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The Port of Long Beach moved 797,537 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, down 3.9% from September 2024. Imports dropped 6.9% to 388,084 TEUs, while exports dipped 3.6% to 85,081 TEUs. At the Port of Los Angeles, dockworkers processed 883,053 TEUs in September, down 7.5% compared to last year.
"Tariffs are impacting how consumers and business owners make financial decisions and purchases," said Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Officer Mario Cordero. The port's tracker is forecasting a "relatively stable" October, followed by a "slight decline in November due to anticipated weather-related delays and vessel scheduling changes."
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka also discussed how tariffs are impacting cargo activity: "As trade policy unfolds, we can only predict more unpredictability ... When sweeping changes were first announced, importers abruptly stopped their orders from China. When those policies were softened and deadlines extended, cargo volume picked up again. The supply chain has been on a roller coaster all year, and that ride continues."
"Tariffs in one area tend to lead to rising prices in other segments. In the end, making goods more expensive," Seroka added.
President Donald Trump has been threatening what could be perhaps his most impactful tariff yet: a 155% tariff on Chinese imports starting November 1. It remains to be seen if the president will follow through. Trump and China's Xi Jinping are expected to discuss the U.S.-China tariff spat at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, running from October 31 to November 1.
It remains to be seen whether or not tariffs and economic uncertainty will impact demand for consumer goods during the holiday season. Deloitte (London, England) forecasts U.S. retail sales between November 1 and January 31 will grow just 2.9%-3.4%--down from 4.2% last year--resulting in the slowest growth since 2020. However, e-commerce sales are expected to grow between 7% and 9% year-over-year during the 2025-2026 holiday season, contributing to overall retail sales growth during this period.
In a related press release, Natalie Martini, vice chair, Deloitte, and U.S. retail and consumer products leader, said, "We expect this holiday season to demonstrate the resiliency of consumers as they continue to face economic uncertainty. Our forecast anticipates that e-commerce sales will stay strong as consumers keep leveraging online deals to stretch their spending power. Retailers who remain focused on delivering value throughout the season have a prime opportunity to drive growth during what continues to be a critical time for their businesses."
Although year-over-year cargo handling activity at the two major California ports dropped in September, each reported strong third-quarter figures: Long Beach moved 2,643,614 TEUs between July 1 and September 30, leading to its second-busiest quarter on record. Los Angeles closed the third quarter with 2.9 million TEUs moved, its best three-month quarter ever.
For the first nine months of 2025, the Port of Long Beach handled 7,390,245 TEUs, up 6.8% from the same period in 2024. The Port of Los Angeles moved 7,817,057 TEUs through September, 3% more than the same period last year.
Infrastructure improvements at the ports serve to benefit cargo movement throughout California and across the country. This includes construction of Long Beach's Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, which is designed to double the port's capacity to handle cargo by train. The project, which will be built in phases, broke ground in 2024, and the entire facility is expected to be completed by 2032. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for related project reports
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
