Port of Long Beach anticipates 10% decline for shipments in May

After 11 months of steady growth and a strong April, the port is now bracing for a drop in cargo volumes in May due to tariffs and retaliatory tariffs.

IMAGE: Aerial shot of a cargo ship loaded with containers docked in the Port of Long Beach. Getty Images

Dockworkers and terminal operators at Long Beach moved 867,493 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in April, up 15.6% from the same month last year and 5.7% higher than the previous record set in April 2022.

Imports rose 15.1% to 419,828 TEUs, while exports declined 4.5% to 93,842 TEUs.

“After moving the most containerized cargo of any American port in the first quarter of 2025, we are now anticipating a more than 10% drop-off in imports in May, and the effects will be felt beyond the docks,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero.

This could leave consumers with fewer product choices and higher prices in stores, he added.

“Even as the biggest tariffs were paused, we still should brace for the effects of tariffs following 11 straight months of cargo growth,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal.

The pause on tariffs came as part of a 90-day trade truce announced earlier, but President Donald Trump has signaled that negotiations are proceeding too slowly.

Lars Jensen, chief executive of Vespucci Maritime, warned that if no deals are made within this period, the US Treasury Secretary will impose tariffs on their own.

Jensen explains that this situation has heightened uncertainty for shippers as US importers are rushing to bring in as many goods as possible from countries other than China before the tariff pause expires on 9 July.

The Trump administration paused reciprocal tariffs for most countries (excluding China) on 9 April. This suspension window closes on 9 July.

A separate truce with China, involving reduced tariffs for a period of 90 days, was agreed upon later and began on 14 May.

Trump's latest remarks suggest that after the 90-day period, tariffs might be increased again to a level that is currently unknown.

"Carriers are reporting a strong surge of cargo out of China, with Hapag-Lloyd stating that they can presently only service customers with long-term contracts," Jensen added,

By Gautamee Hazarika

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