Near‑record throughput at the Port of Long Beach despite tariff turbulence

January throughput: hard numbers that matter to shippers

The Port of Long Beach handled 847,765 TEUs in January, a decline of 11% from the previous January but still the port’s second‑busiest January on record. Imports totaled 409,818 TEUs (‑13.1%), exports rose slightly to 99,478 TEUs (+0.8%), and empty containers — a forward indicator of inbound flows — stood at 338,470 TEUs (‑11.5%).

Context behind the counts

These volumes reflect late 2025 buying patterns and some frontloading ahead of the Lunar New Year. Long Beach’s 2025 annual peak reached a record 9.9 million TEUs, fuelled in part by importers moving freight earlier to avoid tariff escalation between the U.S. and China. The January snapshot shows how that frontloading creates a hangover effect: strong absolute volumes but a year‑over‑year dip as previously accelerated arrivals normalize.

How tariff rulings are rippling through the supply chain

The U.S. Supreme Court recently found two‑thirds of the 2025 tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) unconstitutional. Although some levies remain, a temporary universal 10% tariff was introduced and is set to expire in July. The legal uncertainty — who gets refunds, whether duties already paid will be reclaimed, and the potential for renewed tariffs — is keeping procurement and transportation teams on edge.

Operational consequences for logistics providers

• Inventory timing: Importers who frontloaded earlier in 2025 may cut ordering in Q1, lowering near‑term volumes but creating replenishment spikes later.
• Container imbalances: A fall in empties suggests weaker inbound demand ahead, which influences container repositioning and empty repositioning costs.
• Carrier scheduling: Ocean carriers and 3PLs must manage schedule reliability amid volatile demand; blank sailings or vessel reassignments become tools to balance supply and demand.
• Freight rates: Spot rates may soften where volumes fall, but corridor‑specific congestion or tariff pass‑through can keep certain lanes firm.

Table: Port of Long Beach January statistics (TEUs)

What this means for carriers, warehouses and shippers

From a logistics perspective, the combination of near‑record throughput and tariff ambiguity creates a mixed bag. Warehouses may see uneven utilization — weekday peaks and sudden slack — while carriers face shifting demand that can complicate capacity planning. Shippers who can’t tolerate uncertainty are likely to lean on flexible contracts, shorter lead times, and diversified sourcing to keep goods moving without overpaying for storage or rush freight.

Practical moves logistics managers are actually using

• Staggering inbound receipts to avoid demurrage spikes.
• Using interim storage near the port to wait out tariff clarifications.
• Negotiating contingent rate clauses with carriers and forwarding partners.
• Increasing communication cadence with customs brokers to track duties and refunds.

Port governance and leadership signal

Port leadership emphasizes continuity: the new chief executive, Dr. Noel Hacegaba, described the port as a stable point “in a sea of tariff and trade uncertainty,” signaling a priority on operational reliability. Leadership transitions at gateway ports matter to logistics partners because continuity in policy, labor relations, and capital projects affects throughput and predictability.

Infrastructure and capacity planning

Even with legal and trade policy shocks, the physical constraints — berths, cranes, yard capacity, and inland connections — remain the constants. Ports that invest in digital gate systems, rail ramp efficiency, and truck appointment systems will be better placed to handle episodic surges or troughs driven by tariff‑related frontloading or destocking.

Quick checklist for supply‑chain teams

• Run scenario plans for three demand cases: frontloaded surge, normalized flow, and delayed rebound.
• Audit container repositioning costs and consider shared depot options.
• Revisit contract terms on demurrage, detention, and detention mitigation strategies.
• Keep customs documentation and proof of payment ready for potential refund claims.

On-the-ground anecdote: why numbers don’t tell the whole story

I once shadowed a yard manager during a January rebound and watched a container stack go from full tilt to nearly empty within days — a tangible reminder that volumes are more than statistics; they’re the rhythms of people, appointments, and truckers. As the saying goes, you only see the tip of the iceberg until you climb down the gangway — and logistics is full of surprises that don’t show up in monthly totals.

Where platforms can help, a marketplace that connects shippers with a range of transport options reduces friction when patterns shift. Services that make it easy to compare rates and modes — whether for office or home moves, vehicle transit, bulky furniture, palletized freight, or international container shipments — offer practical value when trade policy injects volatility. GetTransport.com has positioned itself as one of those tools, providing affordable, global cargo transportation solutions across many needs.

Even the best reviews and the most honest feedback can’t fully substitute for personal experience; volume figures and pundit takes are useful, but moving a pallet or a bulky shipment teaches you more about a provider than charts ever will. On GetTransport.com, you can order your cargo transportation at the best prices globally at reasonable prices. That hands‑on option, combined with transparent pricing and a broad choice of carriers, helps teams test services without blowing the budget. For your next cargo transportation, consider the convenience and reliability of GetTransport.com — Get the best offers GetTransport.com.com

In summary, January’s Long Beach numbers show robust throughput despite policy headwinds: total TEUs remain high, imports have eased from a frontloaded peak, and exports are steady. The Supreme Court ruling and temporary tariffs add a layer of uncertainty that affects procurement timing, container imbalances, and carrier scheduling. For logistics planners, the key is agility — flexible routing, adaptable storage strategies, and smart use of digital freight marketplaces to keep cargo, freight, shipment, delivery, transport, logistics, shipping, forwarding, dispatch, haulage, courier, distribution, moving, relocation, housemove, movers, parcel, pallet, container, and bulky loads moving reliably in an international and global environment. GetTransport.com provides an efficient, cost‑effective, and convenient way to turn those plans into action.