In July, the Port of Long Beach handled 928,508 TEUs, marking its second-busiest July as shippers rushed to meet a tariff deadline.
The Port of Long Beach handled 928,508 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, its second-busiest July on record, as cargo owners accelerated shipments ahead of a July 24 tariff deadline, Port CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba announced.
The July total marked a 1.7% decline from July 2025 but represented only the seventh time in the port's 115-year history that monthly volume surpassed 900,000 TEUs. Hacegaba said the surge reflected a late push by shippers to move goods before the expiration of a temporary tariff program.
"This capped an early peak season as companies continued to navigate tariff uncertainty, higher fuel costs, and other global issues," Hacegaba told reporters during his Supply Chain Insight media briefing. "Our strong import numbers show that the supply chain continues to be resilient and adapting to this new normal."
Imports held nearly flat, dipping 0.1% to 467,461 TEUs, while exports climbed 14.8% year over year to 104,843 TEUs. Empty containers fell 7.4% to 356,205 TEUs.
Through the first seven months of 2026, the port has moved 5,758,086 TEUs, a 1.2% increase over the same period in 2025.
Although the newly implemented tariffs affect more than 90% of U.S. imports, Hacegaba said he does not expect a significant impact on trade at the San Pedro Bay ports complex. He said the port is monitoring several factors that could influence cargo volumes in the coming months, including global economic conditions, consumer demand, trade policy, and geopolitical developments.
"Businesses can't control trade policy, geopolitical events, or energy markets; what they can control is how quickly they respond," Hacegaba said. "That's exactly what we're seeing at the Port of Long Beach. Companies are becoming more resilient, more diversified, and more agile. And that's encouraging, not just for our port, but for the broader U.S. economy."
Harbor Commission President Steven Neal credited the port's reliability for retaining customers during a period of trade volatility.
"Customers continue to choose the Port of Long Beach for moving their cargo safely, reliably, and efficiently," Neal said. "We offer certainty in unpredictable times, and customers see the value in what we can provide."
The briefing also featured James Zahn, editor-in-chief of The Toy Book, a trade publication covering North America's toy industry. Zahn and Hacegaba discussed holiday-season toy trends and how tariffs and shifting trade policies have reshaped the toy supply chain, a sector highly sensitive to import costs and seasonal demand spikes.
The port continues to pursue its 2050 vision, which aims to double annual container volume to 20 million units. The plan includes $3.3 billion in capital investments over the next decade to modernize infrastructure and expand digital systems for greater cargo visibility. The port is also working to become the world's first zero-emissions port. It currently moves cargo valued at $300 billion annually and supports an estimated 2.7 million jobs across the United States.
