Americas News
Tariff Fears Boost US West Coast Cargo Volumes in Long Beach
The US West Coast Port of Long Beach posted its busiest January on record and its second-highest monthly cargo volume ever, as retailers rushed shipments amid fears of potential tariffs under President Donald Trump.
Dockworkers and terminal operators handled 952,733 TEUs in January, a 41.4% year-on-year increase, and surpassing the previous January 2022 record by 18.9%, the Port of Long Beach said in an email statement on Thursday.
In January, container imports rose by 45% to 471,679 TEUs on the year, while exports rose by 14% to 98,655 TEUs.
“The strong start to 2025 marks the Port’s eighth consecutive monthly year-over-year cargo increase and follows a record-breaking year with 9,649,724 TEUs moved in 2024,” the port said.
Though the US proposed tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports have been put on hold until at least March, uncertainty remains, as President Trump's trade policies have been unpredictable in the past, raising concerns about potential future actions.
Meanwhile, the US has raised tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the country to 25%.
