According to the Port of Los Angeles, cargo volume for January 2026 measured 812,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). This figure represents a 12% decrease compared to the elevated cargo levels from January 2025.
Read also: Port of Los Angeles Sees Strong Rebound in June Imports
Port Executive Director Gene Seroka explained several reasons for the decline. He stated that the comparison is against a particularly strong month in 2025 when importers rushed to bring goods in ahead of expected tariffs. Seroka also noted that current inventory levels remain slightly high due to that earlier surge, leading to a more cautious pace of restocking. He added that ongoing U.S. trade policy continues to create uncertainty, but pointed to resilient consumer demand and stable advanced purchase orders to Asia as positive indicators.
Economist Chad Bown, who participated in the briefing, discussed the anticipated U.S. Supreme Court ruling on tariffs and expectations for trade policy in 2026.
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The detailed January statistics show loaded imports were 421,594 TEUs, a 13% year-over-year decrease. Loaded exports totaled 104,297 TEUs, down 8% from 2025. The Port also handled 286,110 empty container units, a 12% reduction compared to the previous year.
Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform
