After reporting a first quarter handling 2,504,049 TEUs, 5.2% ahead of last year’s strong pace, the busiest container port in the United States is bracing for a significant drop in the second half of 2025 due to the ripple effect of the tariff war ignited by the Trump Administration.
“Our volume remained strong throughout the first quarter, and we’ve now seen year-over year growth in 18 of the last 20 months,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said at a media briefing. “The start of the second quarter looks encouraging as importers begin to plan for spring and summer fashion, as well as back to school.
“However, with tariff and counter tariffs dominating the news, I expect we’ll see cargo decline in the second half of the year at least 10% compared to 2024,” Mr. Seroka added. “That’s because many importers have already brought their goods in early, and as prices begin to rise, consumers will think twice about many purchases.”
Joe Kramek, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council, joined Mr. Seroka at the media event. Mr. Kramek discussed the impact of proposed fees on container ships built in China, decarbonization of the supply chain and other trade topics.
March 2025 loaded imports came in at 385,531 TEUs, 1.6% higher compared to the previous year. Loaded exports landed at 122,975 TEUs, a 15% drop from 2024. The Port processed 269,900 empty containers, 23% more than last year.
(Port of Los Angeles photo)