In January, Long Beach Port handled over 952,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs)

At the start of the new year, the Port of Long Beach experienced its strongest January ever and the second-busiest month in history. This surge was primarily due to retailers rushing to ship goods ahead of anticipated tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada.

In January of this year, dockworkers and terminal operators handled 952,733 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 41.4% increase compared to the same period last year and an 18.9% increase over the record set in January 2022.

Import volumes surged by 45% to 471,649 TEUs, while exports rose by 14% to 98,655 TEUs. The number of empty containers passing through California ports increased by 45.9%, reaching 382,430 TEUs.

“This strong start to the year is encouraging. As we move toward 2025, I want to thank and congratulate all our partners for their hard work. Regardless of the uncertainties in the supply chain, we will continue to focus on enhancing our competitiveness and sustainability,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach.

This impressive start marks the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year cargo growth for the port, which processed 9,649,724 TEUs in the record-setting year of 2024.

“Our dockworkers, ocean terminal operators, and industry partners continue to move record volumes of cargo, making this the premier gateway for trans-Pacific trade. We are committed to providing top-notch customer service while achieving sustainable growth in 2025,” commented Bonnie Lowenthal, chair of the Long Beach Harbor Commission.