POLA Sees Robust Volume in April Ahead of Tariffs Drop and POLB Has Strongest April on Record

LOS ANGELES / LONG BEACH — The Port of Los Angeles handled 842,806 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in April, 9.4% more than last year. After four months, the Port of Los Angeles has processed 3,346,853 TEUs, 6.2% more than the same period in 2024.

“We’ve had nearly two years of robust volume, including 10 straight months of year-over-year growth,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka told more than 90 journalists at a media briefing. “A strong economy and high consumer confidence propelled that growth early on, while more recently it’s been the push by importers to bring cargo in ahead of today’s tariffs.

“Moving forward – at least for the short term – we will see a softening of global trade during this period of elevated tariffs and uncertainty,” Seroka added. “As cargo eases, the Port of Los Angeles will use its strong financial base to invest in infrastructure, technology and workforce development. We’re focused on $230 million in capital projects in the upcoming fiscal year so that we’re ready to go when volume comes back strong.”

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April 2025 loaded imports came in at 439,230 TEUs, 5% higher compared to the previous year. Loaded exports landed at 128,394 TEUs, a 3% drop from 2024. The port processed 275,183 empty container units, 25% more than last year.

     Further, following its strongest April on record and 11 consecutive months of cargo increases, the Port of Long Beach is preparing for a double-digit decline for shipments in May due to tariffs – and retaliatory tariffs – that were paused earlier this month.

Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 867,493 twenty-foot equivalent units in April, up 15.6% from the same month last year and surpassing the previous record set in April 2022 by 5.7%. Imports rose 15.1% to 419,828 TEUs and exports decreased 4.5% to 93,842 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the port jumped 23% to 353,824 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. “Soon, consumers could find fewer choices and higher prices on store shelves and the job market could see impacts, given the continuing uncertainty.”

The port has moved 3,403,069 TEUs during the first four months of 2025, a 23.6% increase from the same period in 2024.