Container traffic at the Port of Los Angeles reached 960,464 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, marking its second-highest July volume on record, the port said on Tuesday. Imports accounted for 499,552 TEUs of the total, while the facility expects to process more than 900,000 container units in August based on current trends.
The Port of Long Beach, reported the prior week, handled 928,508 TEUs in July, including 467,461 TEUs of imports, making it the second-busiest July in its history. The elevated volumes at both West Coast hubs reflect an early peak shipping season, driven by retailers accelerating holiday merchandise orders ahead of tariff changes.
The expiration of a 10% global Section 122 tariff in late July was followed by the introduction of new tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries, linked to allegations of forced labor. Industry executives noted that retailers front-loaded shipments to mitigate the impact, pushing peak season forward by several weeks.
Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said the port’s August throughput is on track to exceed 900,000 TEUs based on current activity. Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk, highlighted a broader shift in cargo composition, stating that containers from Asia are increasingly carrying components tied to electrification and AI infrastructure, such as batteries, solar panel parts, wind turbines, and data center cooling units, rather than traditional retail goods like furniture and clothing.
The global container shipping industry, valued at $120 billion, has historically relied on retailers for nearly half of its volume, with peak demand concentrated around the year-end holiday season. Clerc noted that the transition reflects structural changes in trade flows, as demand for AI-related equipment and renewable energy components grows while discretionary retail imports from Asia decline.
