Jan 20, 2026
The Port of Long Beach is planning to double its cargo throughput by 2050 following another record year for container volume, according to a report from Yahoo Finance. Chief Executive Noel Hacegaba, in his first State of the Port address, stated the hub handled about 9.9 million containers in 2025. A new forecast projects the port will move 20 million containers annually by 2050.
“We have 24 years to prepare to double our container throughput and figure out how were going to handle all that additional cargo quickly, safely, efficiently and sustainably,” said Hacegaba, who succeeded retired CEO Mario Cordero. “We have set our sights on 2050 because thinking big and planning ahead are critical to our collective success. Speed to market is the key to our success and rail connectivity is the key to our future.”
The port complex is served by BNSF and Union Pacific, and short line Alameda Belt Railway. The proposed merger of Union Pacific and eastern carrier Norfolk Southern would extend the ports reach into the Midwest as well as to eastern seaboard markets.
A $1.8-billion Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, designed to move containers from ship to train in less than 24 hours, is scheduled for completion in 2032. Hacegaba said that will triple on-dock rail to 4.7 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs).
The port continues to prioritize environmental goals, he said, with the proposed development of the worlds first conventional, zero-emissions container terminal. The Metro Express Terminal at Pier S, if approved, would handle up to 1.8 million TEUs annually for express vessel services, with human-operated cargo handling equipment powered by renewable energy.
Long Beach is predicting trade flows via CargoNav, Hacegaba said, a digital visibility tool that originated in the ports Supply Chain Information Highway project, to track shipments, plan operations and maximize efficiency. The tool will soon add a Universal Trucking Appointment System partially funded by the state, enabling motor carriers to schedule pickup and drop-off of containers at any of the ports six marine terminals, eventually extending to Los Angeles.
Long Beach processed 48.9% of all cargo moving through the San Pedro Bay in 2025, with that share anticipated to continue growing over the next several years. The port ended 2025 with 9,881,595 TEUs processed, up 2.4% from the previous record of more than 9.6 million TEUs moved in 2024. Imports rose 1.1% to 4,779,559 TEUs and exports declined 5.5% to 1,141,113 TEUs compared to 2024, amid President Donald Trumps on-again off-again trade war with China. Empty containers increased 6.7% to 3,960,925 TEUs.
Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform
This report provides a comprehensive view of the transport container industry in the United States, tracking demand, supply, and trade flows across the national value chain. It explains how demand across key channels and end-use segments shapes consumption patterns, while also mapping the role of input availability, production efficiency, and regulatory standards on supply.
Beyond headline metrics, the study benchmarks prices, margins, and trade routes so you can see where value is created and how it moves between domestic suppliers and international partners. The analysis is designed to support strategic planning, market entry, portfolio prioritization, and risk management in the transport container landscape in the United States.
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Key findings
Domestic demand is shaped by both household and industrial usage, with trade flows linking local supply to imports and exports.
Pricing dynamics reflect unit values, freight costs, exchange rates, and regulatory shifts that affect sourcing decisions.
Supply depends on input availability and production efficiency, creating a distinct national cost curve.
Market concentration varies by segment, creating different competitive landscapes and entry barriers.
The 2035 outlook highlights where capacity investment and demand growth are most aligned within the country.
Report scope
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for the United States. It covers both historical performance and the forward outlook to 2035, allowing you to compare cycles, structural shifts, and policy impacts.
Market size and growth in value and volume terms
Consumption structure by end-use segments
Production capacity, output, and cost dynamics
Trade flows, exporters, importers, and balances
Price benchmarks, unit values, and margin signals
Competitive context and market entry conditions
Product coverageProdcom 29202100 – Containers specially designed and equipped for carriage by one or more modes of transport (including containers for transporting fluids)Country coverageCountry profile and benchmarks
This report provides a consistent view of market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for the United States. The profile highlights demand structure and trade position, enabling benchmarking against regional and global peers.
Methodology
The analysis is built on a multi-source framework that combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, and expert validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to ensure consistency across time series.
International trade data (exports, imports, and mirror statistics)
National production and consumption statistics
Company-level information from financial filings and public releases
Price series and unit value benchmarks
Analyst review, outlier checks, and time-series validation
All data are normalized to a common product definition and mapped to a consistent set of codes. This ensures that comparisons across time are aligned and actionable.
Forecasts to 2035
The forecast horizon extends to 2035 and is based on a structured model that links transport container demand and supply to macroeconomic indicators, trade patterns, and sector-specific drivers. The model captures both cyclical and structural factors and reflects known policy and technology shifts in the United States.
Historical baseline: 2012-2025
Forecast horizon: 2026-2035
Scenario-based sensitivity to income growth, substitution, and regulation
Capacity and investment outlook for major producing companies
Each projection is built from national historical patterns and the broader regional context, allowing the report to show where growth is concentrated and where risks are elevated.
Price analysis and trade dynamics
Prices are analyzed in detail, including export and import unit values, regional spreads, and changes in trade costs. The report highlights how seasonality, freight rates, exchange rates, and supply disruptions influence pricing and margins.
Price benchmarks by country and sub-region
Export and import unit value trends
Seasonality and calendar effects in trade flows
Price outlook to 2035 under baseline assumptions
Profiles of market participants
Key producers, exporters, and distributors are profiled with a focus on their operational scale, geographic footprint, product mix, and market positioning. This helps identify competitive pressure points, partnership opportunities, and routes to differentiation.
Business focus and production capabilities
Geographic reach and distribution networks
Cost structure and pricing strategy indicators
Compliance, certification, and sustainability context
How to use this report
Quantify domestic demand and identify the most attractive segments
Evaluate export opportunities and prioritize target destinations
Track price dynamics and protect margins
Benchmark performance against leading competitors
Build evidence-based forecasts for investment decisions
This report is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, wholesalers, investors, and advisors who need a clear, data-driven picture of transport container dynamics in the United States.
FAQ
What is included in the transport container market in the United States?
The market size aggregates consumption and trade data, presented in both value and volume terms.
How are the forecasts to 2035 built?
The projections combine historical trends with macroeconomic indicators, trade dynamics, and sector-specific drivers.
Does the report cover prices and margins?
Yes, it includes export and import unit values, regional spreads, and a pricing outlook to 2035.
Which benchmarks are included?
The report benchmarks market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for the United States.
Can this report support market entry decisions?
Yes, it highlights demand hotspots, trade routes, pricing trends, and competitive context.