While April Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and Port of Long Beach (POLB) volumes were strong, the ports recently respectively stated that is not expected to be the case going forward, due to the impact of the 90-day pause, and reduction, of tariffs, which went into effect earlier this month.
POLA reported that total April volume, at 842,806 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) increased 9.4% annually, for its third-best April on record, surpassed by only pandemic-impacted 2021 and 2022, while posting annual growth for the 10th consecutive month. On a year-to-date basis through April, total POLA volume, at 3,346,853 TEU, is up 6.2% compared to the same period a year ago.
April POLA imports, at 439,230 TEU, saw a 5% annual gain, and exports, at 128,394 TEU, fell 3% annually. Empty containers, at 275,183 TEU, headed up 25% annually.
On a POLA-hosted media briefing yesterday, POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka said that volume growth has been paced, in part, by retailers and manufacturers bringing in cargo ahead of tariffs.
Addressing April import gains, he observed that it is largely a byproduct of importers making a “last push” of cargo before tariffs hit, which he said is a pattern that has played out since last year. As for exports, he said that April marks the fifth consecutive month of declining exports, adding that with retaliatory tariffs now in play, there will continue to be significant challenges, for exports, especially for the agriculture and manufacturing sectors, for the foreseeable future. Looking at empty containers, Seroka said that with soft exports, container liners are utilizing the extra vessel capacity to return those empty containers.
“We have grown in 19 of the last 21 months,” said Seroka. “Initially, that growth was propelled by a robust economy and high consumer confidence levels. More recently, the key factor has been to bring cargo in ahead of today’s tariffs. With trade policy shifts happening so quickly, it’s a challenge for businesses, economists, and ports to forecast, at least for the short term. It’s clear that we’ll see a pullback in global trade.”
What’s more, Seroka added that the whipsaw effect of trade and tariff information has impacted financial markets, consumer sentiment, and business certainty, citing a Wall Street Journal report, which stated that there have been 55 trade policy changes since January.
“The uncertainty remains,” he said. “Tariffs are still elevated, and these deadlines coming up will cause for a little bit of trepidation, not knowing where we’ll all land after the pauses of 90 days with respect to China and the rest of the world. On the cargo side of the business, the impact is real and playing out just in front of us like an industrial theater concept. For the month of May, 80 or so sailings were expected to arrive in Los Angeles—17 of those have been canceled. As of right now, 10 cancelations remain on the books for the month of June.”
In the first week of May, Seroka said that POLA imports were down by more than 30%, adding that the May volume drop is expected to be substantial, although it is really difficult to forecast right now with the sliding information vessel utilizations and seemingly the stop start focus on various negotiations.
Looking ahead, he said POLA will probably see an uptick in origin bookings, especially from China, adding that he does not see a surge that will overtly impact POLA. That increase, or at least part of it, he said, is focused on scooping up some of the cargo that was manufactured prior to the 145% tariffs on China took effect.
“But overall, as far as rushing to buy before these self-imposed deadlines, remember that these prices are still very much elevated,” said Seroka. “What probably comes out of this are lower inventory levels across the board, less selection for American consumers and maybe higher prices. A number of major retailers over the last week have announced that tariffs can do only the impact that many thought and cause prices to rise. And the consumer sentiment index is at its lowest point since 2022.”
POLB data: Total April POLB volume, at 867,943 TEU, marked a 15.6% annual gain, for the port’s strongest April in its history, topping April 2022 by 5.7%.
Imports, at 419,828 TEU, increased 15.1% annually, and exports, at 93,842 TEU, fell 4.5% annually, while empty containers, at 353,824 TEU, rose 23%. Through the first four months of 2025, total POLB volume, at 3,403,069 TEU, is up 23.6%.
“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,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “Soon, consumers could find fewer choices and higher prices on store shelves and the job market could see impacts, given the continuing uncertainty.”
