Ports Briefs: Tariff ‘Whipsaw Effect’ Brings POLA New Cargo Record and POLB Kicks Off Terminal Expansion

Tariff ‘Whipsaw Effect’ Boosts June Cargo to New Record at Port of Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES — The Port of Los Angeles handled 892,340 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in June, 8% more than last year. It was the busiest June in the 117-year history of the Port of Los Angeles.

“Some importers are bringing in year-end holiday cargo now ahead of potential higher tariffs later in the year,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “July may be our peak season month as retailers and manufacturers bring orders in earlier than usual, then brace for trade uncertainty. 

“Meanwhile, the Port of Los Angeles closed its fiscal year on June 30, ending the period handling 10.5 million TEUs,” Seroka added. “That marks our third fiscal year exceeding 10 million TEUs, the only Western Hemisphere port to do so. And this time we reached that mark without a single vessel backed up.”

Bobby Djavaheri, President of Yedi Houseware, a family-owned business in Los Angeles, joined Seroka for the briefing. Djavaheri discussed the impacts tariffs have had on small and mid-sized businesses.

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June 2025 loaded imports came in at 470,450 TEUs, 10% more than last year. Loaded exports landed at 126,144 TEUs, a 3% improvement from 2024. The Port processed 295,746 empty container units, 7% more than last year.

After six months in 2025, the Port of Los Angeles has handled 4,955,812TEUs, 5% more than the same period in 2024.

Terminal Expansion Gets Underway at Port of Long Beach

International Transportation Service or ITS, July 11, “broke ground” on a terminal expansion project at the Port of Long Beach, aimed at developing more space to stack cargo containers and maximizing efficiency.

By filling an unneeded slip in the middle of the Pier G terminal, the $365 million project will create 19 acres of new land. ITS will also build a single, continuous wharf measuring 3,400 feet, allowing it to simultaneously host two of the industry’s largest cargo ships.

“ITS’ commitment to further greening its operations, increasing capacity and strengthening its ties to the Port of Long Beach is even stronger than it was nearly 20 years ago, when it became our first to sign a green lease,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “By ‘building more America now,’ ITS is also building more land for the Port of Long Beach while expanding capacity and driving efficiency on its terminal.”

Located in the outer harbor, the ITS terminal is nearly divided in half by the south slip, which will be filled with about 2.5 million cubic yards of reused sediment from within the Harbor District in addition to sediments dredged from Newport Harbor at Newport Beach. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2028.