ports

Long Beach Port Posts Strong June as Shippers Rush Ahead of Tariff Deadline

The Port of Long Beach handled 779,000 TEUs in June, marking its third busiest month on record and a 10.6% increase year-over-year. Year-to-date volume reached 4.8 million TEUs, nearly 2% ahead of 2025's record pace.

Imports surged 11% to over 387,000 TEUs while exports declined 1% to more than 86,000 TEUs. Empty container movements jumped 14% to nearly 306,000 units as carriers prepare for incoming shipments.

Retailers are front-loading fall and holiday merchandise ahead of the July 24 tariff deadline, compressing what traditionally occurred over three months into accelerated spring arrivals. Ocean carriers have added services and deployed extra loaders to manage the volume surge.

Intermodal activity surged, with approximately 28% of containers now departing by rail. Port leadership attributes sustained performance to supply chain resilience amid ongoing tariff uncertainty.