Tariff Confusion Drives Record Volumes at Los Angeles Port

The Port of Los Angeles said it handled the highest container volume in its 117-year history last month, as uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariffs drives shippers to front-load cargoes.

Already the busiest port in the country, LA moved more than 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, an 8.5% increase from a year ago, the operator said on Wednesday. That includes containers entering and exiting its terminals, with loaded imports rising by a similar percentage to nearly 544,000 TEUs. The total volume handled was 14.2% higher than in June.