Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and Port of Long Beach (POLB) May volumes posted strong annual gains, according to data recently respectively issued by the ports.
POLA reported that total monthly volume—at 840,165 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—posted a 17% annual gain, with port officials observing that volumes continued to head up, amid ongoing uncertainty related to trade policy and global supply chains.
Imports, at 449,370 TEU, were up 26% annually, with POLA pointing to lower tariff-related imports in May 2025 as a driver, and exports, at 107,657 TEU, decreased 10% annually, following April’s 132,129 TEU, the highest monthly export tally going back to May 2024. Empty containers, at 283,138 TEU, were up 18% annually. Through the first five months of 2025, POLA said that total volumes, at 4,119,869 TEU, are up 1.4% compared to the same period in 2025— which is around 100% ahead of both last year’s pace and the port’s five year average.
On a port-hosted media call this week, POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka described May as a very good month, in terms of volumes, with the 840,165 TEU tally only being surpassed during the pandemic surge.
“This speaks to the key indicators I watch every day: ships in port less than four days, truck turn times improving, and containers moving quickly off our docks,” said Seroka. “Thanks to the waterfront workers, this port’s humming, and these numbers tell us something important. Cargo demand is resilient, despite everything happening in the world right now. Cargo is up 17% compared to last May, when changing tariff policy caused many importers to slam on the brakes.”
What’s more, Seroka said that May volume was essentially in line with POLA’s five-year average, with imports accounting for much of the month’s strength. While May imports rose 26% annually, that topped the five-year average, with Seroka observing that the increase serves as an indicator that companies continue to move product through the supply chain at a healthy pace. And he added that consumers are spending, businesses are ordering goods, and manufacturers continue to bring in parts and components, despite the uncertainty across the global economy.
As for exports, he said it is a different story, with volumes down 8% compared to the port’s five-year average and annual declines in six of the last nine months through May, representing a clear sign of the difficult environment facing many U.S. exporters, noted Seroka. For empties, he said that the May comparison, as it was for imports, comes up against a period when tariffs caused many shippers to pull back significantly on their volume.
POLB data: The Port of Long Beach reported that total May volume, at 842,030 TEU, increased 31.7% annually, for the third-busiest May in the port’s history.
Imports, at 418,851 TEU, were up 40% annually, with exports down 32.9%, to 109,168 TEU, with empty containers up 21.8% to 314,012 TEU.
On a year-to-date basis through May, POLB said total volume, at 4,050,247 TEU, is up 0.2% annually, with the port on track to keep pace with its busiest year on record in 2021, when it handled 9,384,368 TEU.
POLB CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba said in a video message that May was a solid month, despite all of the uncertainty surrounding trade and geopolitical instability throughout the world.
