West Coast Ports Smash Records as Shippers Rush Ahead of Trump Tariffs

The Port of Los Angeles recorded its busiest month in its 117-year history this July, handling over 1 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) as retailers and manufacturers accelerate shipments amid concerns over impending tariff increases.

“Shippers have been frontloading their cargo for months to get ahead of tariffs and recent activity at America’s top port really tells that story,” 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.”

The numbers tell a compelling story of dramatic acceleration. July 2025 loaded imports at Los Angeles reached 543,728 TEUs, an 8% increase over last year and the highest monthly import volume ever recorded at the port. Loaded exports showed a 6% improvement from 2024, landing at 121,507 TEUs, while empty container units rose 10% from the previous year to 354,602.

Seven months into 2025, the Port of Los Angeles has processed 5,975,649 TEUs, representing a 5% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Meanwhile, neighboring Port of Long Beach achieved its most active July on record and the third-busiest month in its 114-year history. Dockworkers and terminal operators processed 944,232 TEUs in July, up 7% from the previous July record set in 2024.

Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero explained the surge: “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. 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.”

These port figures align with broader industry data. According to Descartes Systems Group, U.S. container imports surged to their second-highest level on record in July 2025, reaching 2,621,910 TEUs—just 555 containers shy of the all-time high set in May 2022. This represents an 18.2% month-over-month increase and signals a dramatic shift in global shipping patterns.

China’s role in this surge is particularly significant, with imports from the country jumping 44.4% from June to reach 923,075 TEUs. This sharp increase raised China’s share of total U.S. imports to 35.2%, up from 28.8% in June.

However, the outlook for the remainder of 2025 shows a concerning trend. According to the Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, U.S. port volume is expected to end 2025 down 5.6% from 2024 levels as newly implemented tariffs create significant pressure on international trade.

The forecast predicts substantial declines of 5% in August, 19.5% in September, 18.9% in October, 21.1% in November, and 19.3% in December compared to 2024 figures. November’s projected 1.71 million TEUs would represent the lowest monthly total since April 2023.

NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold warned about the implications: “Tariffs are beginning to drive up consumer prices, and fewer imports will eventually mean fewer goods on store shelves. Small businesses especially are grappling with the ability to stay in business.”

Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett described the current approach as “hither-and-thither” with “on-again, off-again tariffs” causing confusion and uncertainty throughout the supply chain. “Friends, allies and foes are all being hit by distortions in trade flows as importers try to second-guess tariff levels by pulling forward imports before the tariffs take effect,” Hackett said.

The shipping surge comes as importers prepare for several critical trade policy deadlines, including the August 29 repeal of the de minimis exemption, the October 15 expiration of the U.S.-China tariff truce, and recently implemented reciprocal tariffs affecting more than 60 countries.

Analyst John McCown put the dramatic shift in stark terms: “As the first six months of 2025 are actually up 3.7%, an overall 2025 decline of 5.6% translates into volume being down 13.9% in the second half or balance of the year. This is the sort of carnage that should be expected with these nonsensical tariffs and even blunter USTR ship fees that are an all out attack on trade itself. As we’ve been moving some $1.5 trillion per year of goods into the U.S. in containers, the big declines that are coming can’t help but ripple through the economy and reduce growth. And the boxes still coming in will bring with them hundreds of billions in annual inflation.”

While West Coast ports celebrate their record-breaking July performance, the shipping industry braces for what could be one of the most dramatic year-to-year changes in U.S. container volume in the six-decade history of container shipping.

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