Cargo numbers at several ports surged last month.
Higher tariffs are expected at some point, leading shippers to months of frontloading, port officials said.
The Port of Los Angeles reported its busiest month on record in July. The port handled over 1 million 20-foot equivalent units last month, an 8.5% increase compared to July 2024.
May 2021 was the first time the Port of Los Angeles handle more than 1 million 20-foot equivalent units. That is now the second-busiest month on record behind July 2025.
“Shippers have been frontloading their cargo for months to get ahead of tariffs,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Port terminals in July were jam-packed with ships loaded with cargo, processed without any delay – much to the credit of our dedicated longshore workers, terminal and rail operators, truckers and supply chain partners.”
Loaded imports at the Port of Los Angeles were up 8% year-over-year, while exports jumped 6% compared to July 2024. The port also saw a 10% increase in empty container units processed.
So far in 2025, the Port of Los Angeles has seen a 5% increase in 20-foot equivalent units handled compared to the same period last year.
The Port of Long Beach reported its most-active July and third-busiest month in history.
The 944,232 20-foot equivalent units processed were a 7% increase from the previous record set in July 2024. Imports were up by nearly 8% and empty containers increased by more than 12%. However, exports were down by about 13%.
The Port of Long Beach is 10% ahead of where it was during the same period last year.
“Retailers are now seeing the arrival of goods that were purchased for lower costs during the temporary pause placed on tariffs and retaliatory tariffs earlier this year,” Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said. “Due to the ongoing uncertainty caused by shifting trade policies, our Supply Chain Information Highway digital tracking tool forecasts that cargo will be down about 10 percent in the second half of 2025, resulting in a flat year for volume.”
Imports and exports rebounded at the Port of Oakland after a dip in June.
A 31% increase in imports makes July the busiest import month in 2025 so far. Exports rose by 10%, putting the port ahead of last year’s pace.
July’s surge underscores how quickly cargo flows can shift in response to announced changes in trade policy, port officials said.
“This kind of front-loading – where cargo owners accelerate shipments to avoid added costs – was clearly the driving force behind the month’s performance,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes.
The Northwest Seaport Alliance reported volumes were up 3.5% in July from the previous month.
Domestic container volumes increased, as did Alaska and Hawaii volumes.
Volume variances were driven by ongoing market volatility resulting from tariffs and a strong July 2024, when the NWSA successfully handled a surge of cargo diversions from Canada during its labor disruptions, an alliance news release said.
High interest rates and tariffs continue to impact total breakbulk volumes at the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. LL
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