The Port of Long Beach kicked off the new year with its strongest January ever and its second-busiest month in history, driven largely by retailers rushing to move goods ahead of anticipated tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada.
In January, dockworkers and terminal operators handled 952,733 TEUs, an astonishing 41.4% increase compared to the same period last year and an 18.9% jump over the previous record set in January 2022.
In particular, imports surged by 45% to 471,649 TEUs, while exports grew by 14% to 98,655 TEUs. The number of empty containers passing through the Californian port rose 45.9% to 382,430 TEUs.
“It’s encouraging to start off the year so strongly. As we head into 2025, I thank and congratulate all of our partners for their hard work. We will continue to focus on enhancing both our competitiveness and sustainability, no matter the uncertainties in the supply chain,” stated Mario Cordero, CEO at Port of Long Beach.
This impressive start to 2025 marks the Port’s eighth consecutive month of year-over-year cargo growth and follows a record-setting 2024, during which 9,649,724 TEUs were processed.
“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. We’re heading into 2025 with a positive focus on our efforts to deliver top-notch customer service while growing sustainably,” commented Bonnie Lowenthal, Long Beach Harbor Commission President.
