The Port of Long Beach touted its second-busiest August on record with about 901,846 twenty-foot equivalent units moving through the port as retailers pushed out supplies during a recent pause in tariffs.
Port officials noted that while goods processed were at a record level, it also saw a relatively flat decline of 1.3% from the record set in August 2024. Imports were down 3.6% to 440,318 TEUs and exports decreased 8.3% to 95,960 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the port increased 3.7% to 365,567 TEUs.
“Shifting trade policies continue to create uncertainty for businesses and consumers,” Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said in a statement. “Our Supply Chain Information Highway digital tracker is projecting our peak shipping season to be on pace with last year as retailers start to stock their warehouses in preparation for the winter holidays.”
The port has moved nearly 6.6 million TEUs through the first eight months of 2025, an increase of 8.3% from the same period last year.
“I commend our dockworkers for their continued hard work to keep goods moving through the port during the peak shipping season,” Long Beach Harbor Commission Frank Colonna said in a statement. “Our reputation as a primary gateway for trans-Pacific trade relies on our ability to safely ensure the secure and speedy shipment of goods.”