• Container imports at the Port of Los Angeles dropped 13% year-over-year in January to 421,594 TEUs, while exports fell to 104,297 TEUs—the lowest in nearly three years.
  • Soybean shipments to China plunged 80% due to US tariffs, with no improvement from prior trade talks at last year's APEC summit, according to Port Director Gene Seroka.
  • Despite the sharp decline, 2025 full-year volumes reached 10.2 million TEUs, the third-busiest year on record, driven by early frontloading ahead of tariffs followed by late-year slowdowns.

A Volatile Year for America's Busiest Port

Container traffic at the Port of Los Angeles took a significant hit in January, with imports and exports both falling sharply as US-China tariffs continue to disrupt trade flows. The port handled 421,594 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of imports last month, down 13% from the same period last year, while exports dropped to 104,297 TEUs—marking the lowest monthly export volume in nearly three years.

Port Director Gene Seroka pointed to soybean shipments as particularly weak, with exports to China down 80% due to ongoing US tariffs. "We're seeing the direct impact of trade policy on our numbers," Seroka said in a statement. "Despite discussions at last year's APEC summit, we haven't seen any meaningful improvement in shipments to China." Efforts to reach officials from both countries for comment on the current trade situation were unsuccessful.

Frontloading Creates Roller Coaster Pattern

The January decline follows what Seroka described as a "roller coaster" year for the port in 2025. Early frontloading ahead of anticipated tariff increases drove record volumes in July, when the port handled more than 1 million TEUs, and contributed to April's 9% year-over-year increase. This strategic stockpiling by retailers and manufacturers helped push full-year 2025 volumes to 10.2 million TEUs, making it the port's third-busiest year on record despite being down less than 1% from 2024.

However, the frontloading created what one logistics executive called "an artificial peak" that couldn't be sustained. "Companies were bringing in goods early to avoid potential tariff increases," said the executive, who requested anonymity to discuss client strategies. "Once that inventory was in place, demand naturally softened." This pattern manifested in late-year declines, including November's 12% drop to 782,249 TEUs and December's 7.9% import decrease.

Infrastructure Investments Continue Amid Uncertainty

Despite the current volatility, the Port of Los Angeles continues to invest in infrastructure improvements designed to handle larger vessels and increase efficiency. Projects include the development of the Pier 500 terminal and bridge height increases to accommodate newer, bigger ships. These investments come as the port faces policy uncertainty that has left California business owners struggling to adapt.

Nationally, US ports saw October volumes decline 7.9% to 2.07 million TEUs, according to industry data. The National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates predict extended weakness through mid-2026, though they note resilient consumer spending that topped $1 trillion during the holiday season. "The underlying demand is there," said one analyst familiar with port operations. "But until trade policy stabilizes, we're likely to see these boom-and-bust patterns continue."

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the percentage decline in December imports. The correct figure is 7.9%, not 8.1%.