The Port of Long Beach has made a strong start to the new year: Almost 1 million TEU were handled in January.
The reason for the high volume is also due to President Trump’s tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. Port workers and terminal operators moved 952,733 containers in January, an increase of over 40% compared to the previous year. The result even surpasses the previous January 2022 record by 19%. Imports rose by 45% to 471,649 TEU and exports by 14% to 98,655 TEU. The number of empty containers rose by 46% to 382,430 TEU.
“It is encouraging to start the year so strongly. As we head into 2025, I thank and congratulate all of our partners for their hard work,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach. “We will continue to focus on improving both our competitiveness and our sustainability, regardless of the uncertainties in the supply chain.”
“Our port workers, marine terminal operators and industry partners continue to move a record amount of cargo to make this the premier gateway for trans-Pacific trade,” said Bonnie Lowenthal, president of the Long Beach Harbor Commission.
Long Beach experienced a record year in 2024
The strong start to 2025 marks the port’s eighth consecutive year-over-year monthly cargo increase and follows a record year in 2024 with 9.65 million TEUs moved. Long Beach handles an average annual trade volume of over $200 billion and supports 2.6 million jobs in the US supply chain.
The enormous freight volumes are primarily due to the threat of tariffs imposed by Republican President Donald Trump on China and the USA’s direct neighbors, among others. Before they come into force, as many goods as possible should be handled in order to avoid them. Goods from China have been subject to a 10% tariff since January 20, while Canada and Mexico have initially been granted a 30-day deferral. Most recently, Trump announced the imposition of tariffs on aluminum and steel – a development that will also hit Germany and the EU hard.
