Container volumes at California's Long Beach port are ahead of last year's record-setting pace, largely because retailers ordered shipments early and stocked warehouses before
POLB has moved 8.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), (the standard unit of measurement for cargo capacity used in the shipping industry), through the first 10 months of 2025, up 4.1% from the same period last year, according to
Shifting trade policies have brought uncertainty to consumers and the supply chain, but cargo continues to flow smoothly at the nation's second-busiest port, Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Officer Mario Cordero and Chief Operating Officer Noel Hacegaba said during a virtual press briefing Friday.
"Even in the midst of the nation's longest government shutdown, cargo continues to move smoothly through our port and across the nation's supply chain," Hacegaba said. "We continue to coordinate closely with all of our partners to anticipate and mitigate issues before they arise to keep cargo and our economy moving."
Though cargo volumes are still besting last year, port volume in October dropped significantly from the same month a year ago.
Volume fell to 839,671 TEUs last month, down 14.9% from October 2024, which remains as the port's strongest month in its 114-year history. Imports declined 17.6% to 401,915 TEUs and exports decreased 11.5% to 99,817 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the port were down 12.6% to 337,940 TEUs.
Until now, retailers, manufacturers and other intermediaries have absorbed much of the cost of tariffs, but that is changing as it becomes more apparent, which tariffs are here to stay, Cordero said.
"Consumers will likely see price escalation in the coming months as shippers continue to pass along the cost of tariffs on goods as a higher percentage of these costs will be passed on to the consumer," Cordero said.
The port is expecting a healthy Black Friday, though consumers are expected to be cautious about purchases due to rising prices, port officials said.
In July, Fitch Ratings affirmed the AA rating and stable outlook on the city of Long Beach's $469.2 million of outstanding senior lien harbor and AA-minus rating on the $491.9 million outstanding subordinated lien Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan.
The port's bonds also hold an AA-plus rating with a stable outlook from S&P Global Ratings and Aa2 rating from Moody's Ratings. Moody's placed a
