The Port of Long Beach reported a year-on-year decline in April container volumes as global volatility, rising fuel costs, and geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt trade flows, reports Ventura, California's gCaptain.

The port handled 817,992 TEU in April, down 5.7 percent from the record April of 2025. Despite the drop, volumes remained historically strong as Long Beach retained its role as the nation's busiest container gateway.

Port Chief Executive Noel Hacegaba stated that uncertainty was the only constant in the industry, warning that supply chain disruptions were reshaping cargo flows beyond short-term shocks. He emphasized the port's role as a safe harbor amid instability.

The April figures followed a softer March, when throughput fell to 774,935 TEU. Officials cited rising fuel prices, tariff uncertainty, and geopolitical instability as key headwinds.

Security risks around the Strait of Hormuz have driven higher bunker costs, war-risk premiums, and longer voyage routes. Hacegaba warned that supply chain disruptions ultimately show up in consumer prices.

Analysts noted that spot rates on transpacific routes remain sharply above pre-conflict levels. Xeneta Chief Analyst Peter Sand observed that average rates from the Far East to the US West Coast were more than 50 percent higher than before the conflict, although they have plateaued in recent weeks.

Mr. Sand added that US shippers were delaying long-term contracts due to uncertainty over Middle East risks, wary of locking in elevated rates for the next 12 months.