Port of Long Beach officials Wednesday celebrated their second-busiest January on record, though cargo movement declined by 11% compared to the same month in 2025.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 847,765 twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo containers in January. The decline in cargo volume follows a record-setting year in which 9.9 million TEUs moved in 2025 as companies moved goods in attempts to avoid federal tariffs.
Imports were down 13.1% to 409,818 TEUs, and exports rose by 0.8% to 99,478 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the port declined by 11.5% to 338,470 TEUs.
“We are leading the nation in trade, and providing a safe harbor in the sea of tariff and trade uncertainty for our customers and the goods movement industry,” Port CEO Noel Hacegaba said in a statement. “No matter what happens with cargo volume, the Port of Long Beach has the capacity, infrastructure and workforce to move goods quickly, efficiently and reliably.”
Hacegaba said he anticipates continued uncertainty following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week declaring two-thirds of tariffs imposed last year under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act unconstitutional.
“While this decision ruled on the legality of the IEEPA tariffs, it did little to remove the uncertainty we’ve seen — and continue to see — across the global supply chain,” Hacegaba added. “Our customers are seeking clarity on whether tariffs already paid will be refunded, and consumers are seeking relief from higher prices.”