Cargo Volume at the Port of LA Takes a Dip in January
Port of Los Angeles Reports Decline in Cargo Processing for January
The Port of Los Angeles processed 812,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in January, marking a 12% decrease compared to the same month last year, officials announced on Tuesday.
Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director, shared the latest cargo processing statistics during his monthly online briefing. The report indicated that loaded imports reached 421,594 TEUs, down 13% from January 2025, while loaded exports totaled 104,297 TEUs, reflecting an 8% decline. Additionally, the port managed 286,110 empty container units, also a 12% decrease year-over-year.
Seroka attributed this downward trend to multiple factors. "First, we’re comparing January to 2025 elevated numbers when importers were scrambling to get cargo in ahead of tariffs. Second, inventories remain slightly higher, reflecting the earlier cargo surge and a more cautious restocking pace," he stated. He further noted, "Finally, U.S. trade policy continues to keep everyone on edge. However, the American consumer has shown remarkable resilience. And purchase orders that go out three months in advance to Asia look stable, a good sign."
Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, also participated in the briefing, discussing tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in 2025. He remarked that these tariffs resulted in an unprecedented level of trade activity, not seen since the 1930s. "If you impose a 25% tariff on a good coming in, the effect of that 25% is being paid by someone in the United States," he explained. He emphasized that nearly 100% of the tariffs have been borne by U.S. consumers during the first eight to nine months of 2025.
Bown also highlighted several developments that could impact the economy in the upcoming year. These include a review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, potential meetings between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and an impending U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning international trade.
