In a race to outpace rising tariffs, the Port of Los Angeles achieved a historic milestone in July, moving over 1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in a single month, Executive Director Gene Seroka announced on Wednesday, August 13. This new record surpasses the previous high set in May 2021 by 8,000 containers.
The port processed 1,019,837 TEUs in July, marking an 8.5% increase compared to the same month last year. Retailers and manufacturers accelerated imports to avoid the impact of higher tariffs expected later this year.
Surge in Activity Ahead of Tariff Hikes
July saw 107 vessel calls at the port—a 30% increase over the five-year average. Seroka attributed the record-breaking activity to importers “hustling to bring in cargo” ahead of the tariff deadlines.
“Shippers have been front-loading their cargo for months, and the record activity at America’s top port reflects that urgency,” Seroka said. “Our longshore workers, terminal operators, truckers, and supply chain partners deserve immense credit for processing this surge without delays.”
A Rollercoaster Year for Supply Chains
Looking ahead, Seroka suggested that the peak shipping season may have already passed. “It’s likely that the influx of goods into the U.S. has peaked,” he said, noting that much of the inventory is already in place.
New tariffs affecting over 90 countries went into effect last week, adding to the uncertainty in the industry. “It’s been a rollercoaster all year, and the ride isn’t over yet,” Seroka said.
Joining Seroka at the monthly virtual news conference, Zachary Rogers, lead author of the Logistics Managers’ Index and assistant professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University, highlighted the strain on warehouse networks. “The sheer volume of inventory has put significant stress on warehouse capacity,” Rogers said. “Retailers are hesitant to carry excess inventory on their books, leaving warehouses to hold goods until they’re needed.”
Impact on Consumers and Pricing
As the holiday season approaches, Rogers predicted that the movement of stored goods into the retail sector could drive up prices. “Consumers haven’t seen significant price increases yet, but the indicators suggest that’s coming,” he said.
Typically, the shipping industry’s peak season occurs in late summer, driven by back-to-school and holiday shopping. However, this year’s peak has been fragmented. “We’re seeing a lot of upstream activity in the supply chain, but not as much downstream—yet,” Rogers explained. He expects this dynamic to shift as holiday inventory moves from warehouses to store shelves.
A Quieter Second Half of the Year
Rogers anticipates a quieter period at the port in the coming months, with no traditional late-summer peak. “Everything for the holiday season is already here,” he said, adding that the uncertainty around tariffs has left supply chain decision-makers in a state of paralysis. Despite this, he noted the resilience of the supply chain: “We’re not running out of goods, and shelves aren’t empty.”
Seroka echoed this sentiment, predicting a slowdown in cargo movement for the remainder of the year following July’s record-breaking numbers.
Year-to-Date Growth at the Port
In July, the port handled 543,728 TEUs of loaded imports, an 8% increase from last year and the highest monthly import volume on record. Loaded exports reached 121,507 TEUs, a 6% improvement from 2024, while empty container units totaled 354,602 TEUs, up 10% year-over-year.
As of July, the Port of Los Angeles has processed 5,975,649 TEUs in 2025—5% more than the same period in 2024.
© 2025 MediaNews Group Donna Littlejohn