Port of Long Beach breaks July cargo record

The Port of Long Beach has posted its busiest July in history. A pause in tariffs earlier this year fueled a surge in imports, making last month the third-busiest month ever for the 114-year-old port.

Dockworkers and terminal operators handled 944,232 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July. That’s up 7% from the previous record set in July 2024. Imports climbed 7.6% to 468,081 TEUs. Exports dropped 12.9% to 91,328 TEUs. The number of empty containers moving through the port rose 12.3% to 384,824 TEUs.

Port CEO Mario Cordero said the increase reflects cargo purchased at lower costs during the tariff pause. He warned that volumes could slow in the coming months. “Our digital tracking tool forecasts that cargo will be down about 10% in the second half of 2025, resulting in a flat year for volume,” he said.

Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna credited the workforce for keeping pace with demand. “We appreciate our terminal operators, truckers, dockworkers and all the individuals who are moving cargo through the Port at a record-setting pace,” he said.

From January through July, the Port handled 5.69 million TEUs, 10% more than the same period last year.

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