Global News FreightWaves Trade volatility pushes LA port
towards new record

Stuart Chirls, Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Original Article: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trade-volatility-pushes-la-port-towards-new-record
Articles Reproduced by Permission of FreightWaves

(Photo: Port of Los Angeles)

The Port of Los Angeles processed 848,431 twenty foot equivalent Units (TEUs) in October, a steady showing that puts the busiest U.S. container gateway closer to an unprecedented record.

“With six weeks to go, we are within reach of the 10 million container unit-mark for the year,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a media briefing. “If we reach that milestone, it would be the third time in our history and something no other Western Hemisphere port has achieved even once.

“That kind of performance is powered by the skill and dedication of our waterfront workforce along with the terminal operators who keep this port running safely and efficiently every day.”

Volume through the first 10 months of the year was 8,655,489 TEUs, ahead 2% year-on-year.


Earlier frontloading by importers hoping to avoid tariffs likely will result in softer numbers in November and December from a year ago, Seroka said, in the face of well-stocked retail and manufacturing inventories.

October loaded imports totaled 429,283 TEUs, off 7%, while loaded exports edged up 1% y/y to 123,768 TEUs. The hub handled 295,380 empty container units, an indicator of future imports, off 8% from a year ago.

Some empty traffic has moved to Canada as Trump administration tariffs saw China shift trade flows in the first half of the year, pushing first-half volume up by 6% y/y at the Port of Vancouver. In October total container volume jumped 56% at the Port of Prince Rupert as ocean lines moved ships around and adjusted schedules as the U.S. Trade Representative prepared to levy port fees on China-built and -operated ships as of Oct. 14. The latter gateway has become increasingly popular as an alternative for Asia traffic moving by rail into the U.S. Midwest.