The Port of Long Beach moved 779,331 TEU in June, up 10.6% from a year ago. It was the port’s third-busiest June on record.
This isn’t a demand boom. Importers are pulling cargo in early to avoid tariffs, and the same forecasters expect volumes to fall within weeks.
What the numbers show:
Loaded imports: up 11%
Empty containers: up 14.1%
Loaded exports: down 1.3%
First-half total: 4.83 million TEU, just ahead of record pace
Why the empties matter: Empty container growth outpacing exports. This shows carriers are repositioning boxes for more inbound cargo, not balanced trade. For drayage planners, it is also a warning on yard space and chassis availability, since idle chassis add to per-diem costs.
What's coming: The pull-forward is set to reverse.
The NRF import tracker has national volumes peaking in June, then falling 8.4% in July, and 8.6% in August
Neighboring Los Angeles is guiding a 7% drop for its 2026-27 fiscal year, with China's share of its imports down from 61% in 2020 to 40% today
Both San Pedro Bay ports are running hot on a wave that's about to recede
The CEO's read: “Peak season is no longer a season,” said Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba. Goods now arrive earlier and in year-round bursts, instead of one fall peak.
What to watch: Port of LA’s June figures land within days, and they'll show whether the neighbor kept pace.
