The Port of Long Beach just had its busiest January ever and its second busiest month on record, which the Port attributed to retailers moving cargo ahead of anticipated tariffs on foreign goods.
In January, dockworkers and terminal operators moved 952,733 twenty-foot equivalent units through the Port of Long Beach, up 41.4% from January 2024. Imports climbed 45%, while exports rose 14%.
Last year, the Port moved the most cargo in its 114-year history.
January was the eighth consecutive month the Port saw an increase year-over-year.
“It’s encouraging to start off the year so strongly,” Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said in a statement. “We will continue to focus on enhancing both our competitiveness and sustainability, no matter the uncertainties in the supply chain.”
A quickly shifting landscape of tariffs has contributed to that uncertainty.
In early February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order levying an additional 10% tariff on all goods imported from China and 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
Trump’s rationale for the tariffs was “to hold Mexico, Canada and China accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration” and stem the flow of drugs into the U.S.
Tariffs on Canada and Mexico were paused for at least 30 days after both countries reached agreements to direct additional resources to their borders, but Trump’s 10% tariff on Chinese imports went into effect on Feb. 4. That set of tariffs is uniquely positioned to have the biggest local impact.
Long Beach “does not do much trade” with Canada or Mexico, but China accounts for about 62% of the goods imported through the port, spokesperson Lee Peterson said previously.
Top Chinese imports coming through the Port of Long Beach include furniture, machinery and parts, electronics, plastics and clothing.
China’s Ministry of Finance levied retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made goods that took effect on Monday.
Top exports traveling through the Port of Long Beach bound for China are agricultural products, metal products and plastics.
The Port of Long Beach’s busiest month on record came in October 2024, one month before Trump was elected.
“Our longshore labor, 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 Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal.