The Port of Long Beach recently announced it is prepared for a double-digit decline in shipments for May as a result of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs.
“After moving the most containerized cargo of any American port in the first quarter of 2025, we are now anticipating a more than 10 percent drop-off in imports in May – and the effects will be felt beyond the docks,” Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach CEO, said. “Soon, consumers could find fewer choices and higher prices on store shelves and the job market could see impacts, given the continuing uncertainty.”
In April, imports increased 15.1 percent, exports fell 4.5 percent, and empty containers moving through the Port grew 23 percent.
“Even as the biggest tariffs were paused, we still should brace for the effects of tariffs following 11 straight months of cargo growth,” Bonnie Lowenthal, Long Beach Harbor commission president, said. “As we monitor these dynamic changes in trade, the Port of Long Beach will continue to invest in rail and terminal improvements that will allow us to move cargo efficiently, safely and sustainably.”
During the first four months of the year, the port moved 3.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units, a 23.6 percent increase from 2024.