The Port of Los Angeles handled 950,000 TEUs in July — up from 892,000 TEUs in June — as shippers frontloaded cargo ahead of new tariffs set to take effect in August. Executive Director Gene Seroka confirmed the surge during a July 14 briefing, noting five extra loaders supported inbound volumes in late June. The port is on track to match or exceed its record 9.6 million TEUs from last year. U.S. shippers began frontloading as early as November, per Freightos, with many Asian-sourced importers accelerating orders ahead of potential tariff resumptions in July. Retailers are shifting from air to ocean freight to mitigate tariff impacts, increasing inventory levels. The Transpacific trade lane is seeing shifting country-of-origin patterns, including reduced China-to-U.S. volumes.
The Port of Los Angeles is seeing a peak season push as shippers look to frontload cargo to beat new tariffs slated to go into effect later this summer, Executive Director Gene Seroka said during a July 14 press briefing.
Tariff-Driven Frontloading Surge
The port expects to handle 950,000 TEUs in July, up from June’s 892,000 TEUs as shippers bring in imports before August. Five extra loaders helped support inbound cargo in the latter half of June, Seroka noted. While the new tariff timeline may fuel shipin July, it also introduces uncertainty for the remainder of the year. Starting in August, the Port of LA is likely to see a drop off in cargo volumes as retailers have secured enough inventory to last through the next few months, said Seroka.
Year-Over-Year Volume Trajectory
The port is on track to match or exceed the record-setting 9.6 million TEUs it handled a year ago, primarily thanks to shipCEO Mario Cordero said. U.S. shippers have been frontloading goods since November to get ahead of tariffs, Freightos reported. Although reciprocal tariffs on most countries are currently paused for 90 days, “many of those sourcing from other Asian countries have already started increasing their orders again in an effort to get ahead of possible tariff resumptions in July,”
Strategic Shifts in Sourcing and Mode Selection
The retailer is shifting to maritime shipping instead of air freight to fight tariffs, which is increasing inventory levels. The countries of origin on Transpacific routes are changing as shippers move production out of China. As shippers navigate trade uncertainty, a pullback in China-to-U.S. shipments reflects broader realignment. Stabilizing market dynamics for shippers could be curtailed by overcapacity and network complexity risks, logistics experts said.
Operational Implications Across Networks
Here’s how companies are navigating evolving global trade and tariff policies, rising costs and operational uncertainty across supply chain networks. Explore how tariff changes, key supply shortages and volatile logistics capacity will test network resilience in this roundup of deep dives from Supply Chain Dive. Tariff-driven frontloading boosts Los Angeles port volumes, reported Kelly Stroh on March 27, 2025. Ocean rates see uptick amid tariff turmoil, Carranza’s update on January 28, 2025.
Source: Supply Chain Dive
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
