LA Port Shipments Drop 30% After Trump Tariffs as Trade Uncertainty Grows

Inbound container volumes at the Port of Los Angeles — the nation’s busiest port — dropped as much as 30% in early May after new tariffs introduced by the Trump administration took effect, according to port officials.

Speaking on a call with reporters on May 19, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said the decline was immediate. “Fewer containers mean less work on the waterfront, from the number of labor gangs that are out there responding to the shift requirements of cargo, to the truckers and warehouse workers,” Seroka said.

Surge Before the Drop

The decrease follows a temporary spike in imports as shippers pulled cargo forward in April to avoid the new duties. The Port of Los Angeles processed approximately 843,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month — a 9.4% year-over-year increase — as companies accelerated orders ahead of the tariffs.

However, as May began and tariffs took hold, the trend reversed sharply. In the first two weeks of May alone, the port saw a 30% drop in incoming shipments.

Tariffs Reshape Cargo Patterns

The Trump administration’s tariffs, announced in early April, have weighed heavily on importers and retailers with exposure to Chinese goods. Export volumes have also suffered. Seroka noted April marked the fifth consecutive month of declining exports as retaliatory tariffs from U.S. trade partners — especially targeting agriculture and manufactured goods — took effect.

A temporary agreement between the U.S. and China reached last week will pause mutual tariffs for 90 days. Seroka said this could help ease the pressure and potentially prompt a rebound in volumes in June and July, as inventory held back during the high-tariff window is moved.

But with tariffs still in place and policy direction unclear, Seroka cautioned that volume forecasting remains “very difficult.” As of mid-May, 17 sailings had been canceled, with another 10 cancellations projected for June.

Broader Impact Across West Coast Ports

The Port of Long Beach, which shares San Pedro Bay with the Port of Los Angeles, reported record volumes for April — moving 867,493 TEUs, up 15.6% from last year. However, Long Beach officials are preparing for a sharp decline 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% dropoff in imports in May — and the effects will be felt beyond the docks,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero.

Farther north, the Port of Oakland is also feeling the strain. April volumes dropped to 185,499 TEUs, representing a 14.7% decrease from March.

Outlook: Uncertainty Looms

While short-term relief may come from the 90-day tariff reprieve, longer-term concerns remain. Ongoing policy shifts, retaliatory measures, and global supply chain adjustments are placing pressure on ports, drayage carriers, and warehouse operators across the U.S.

With canceled sailings mounting and trade unpredictability lingering, port officials across the West Coast are bracing for continued volatility in cargo flows through the summer.

Source: Transport Topics