Freight volume drops sharply in the United States' largest container port
Sunny Worldwide LogisticsIt is a logistics company with more than 20 years of transportation experience, focusing on markets such as Europe, America, Canada, Australia, Southeast Asia, etc., and is more than the owner of the cargo owner.
Freight volume plummeted under the fog of tariffs, and the US economy alarm sounded.
On June 3 local time, Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, pointed out with concern that the port's freight volume has recently fallen to the bottom of the past few years. As the most well-deserved container port in the United States, this decline in Los Angeles Port has undoubtedly cast a shadow on the prospects of the US economy.
Recently, the operating data of Port Los Angeles has been bleak. In the past week, there were only 5 ships arriving at the port on average daily, which was directly cut by half compared with the same period in previous years; dockworker operating orders dropped by 50% in just two weeks. This series of data hits people's confidence in the vitality of the US economy.
Gene Seroka bluntly stated that the current tariff negotiations between the United States and other countries are like a fog, full of uncertainty. Many companies are wandering and waiting in this fog, not daring to place new orders easily, for fear of accidentally falling into the whirlpool of trade risks. The decline in port freight volume is like a "barometer" of the economic outlook, sending out dangerous signals in advance.
The recent capricious tariff policy of the US government is undoubtedly the culprit that continues to suffer from port operations. Previously, industry insiders have issued early warnings that the Port of Los Angeles, the largest and busiest container port in the United States, may see a significant decrease in freight volume in May. Gene Seroca reaffirmed this concern. As the traditional peak sea transportation season is approaching, the business of the Port of Los Angeles is running counter to the point where it is weak. The port's freight volume has dropped by 30% in the first and fourth weeks of May, and he expects a double-digit percentage drop in the port of Los Angeles in May.
The chain reaction brought about by this trend has begun to appear. The decrease in the number of cargo ships directly leads to a shrinking demand for unloading and cargo workers, and the impact of port employment will inevitably be affected. What is even more worrying is that 10 ships scheduled to arrive at the Port of Los Angeles were cancelled in June, which undoubtedly further exacerbated the port's plight.
The Port of Los Angeles plays a vital role in the U.S. trade landscape. It is the largest offshore portal for importing goods from China. Its main customers include large retailers such as Walmart and parts suppliers from major automakers such as Ford. The hindered cargo transportation of these companies will not only affect the stability of their own supply chains, but may also affect the entire industrial chain.
According to data previously released by the National Retail Federation, in the second half of 2025, U.S. imports are expected to fall by at least 20% year-on-year, which undoubtedly casts a thicker layer of haze for the future of the U.S. economy. Today, when the global economy is closely linked, the decline in freight volumes in U.S. ports not only reflects the difficulties of its domestic economy, but also may have a profound impact on the global trade pattern. If the US government cannot make wise and stable decisions on tariff policies as soon as possible, the "cold winter" of the Port of Los Angeles and the entire US economy may continue.
