Commentary: Can U.S. Ports Handle a Freight Spike or Will They be Overwhelmed?
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Shipping containers at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, on April 28, 2025. Photo: Bloomberg
Are Los Angeles and Long Beach heading for another port congestion crisis?
Since the United States put tariffs on hold for a 90-day trade war truce with China on May 14, the market has expected a shipping surge driven by Chinese exports. Ocean carriers have reinstated suspended services, restarted vessels lying idle, and introduced new routes — revitalizing trans-Pacific lanes.
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- Capacity from Asia to North America is projected to reach 2.8 million TEUs in July.
- Forecasts indicate Los Angeles and Long Beach container volumes will rise from the second week of June.
- If import volumes consistently exceed 20% above normal through July, congestion risks increase.
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Who’s Who
- Duke Shipping Agency LLC
- Duke Shipping Agency LLC has a Chief Operating Officer named Zhang Huafeng. The organization is involved in the shipping industry.
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What Happened When
- May 2021：
- Port of Los Angeles processed record 520,000 TEUs; Port of Long Beach reached single-month peak of 400,000 TEUs.
- May 14, 2025：
- The United States put tariffs on hold for a 90-day trade war truce with China.
- May 2025：
- Ocean carriers reinstated suspended services, restarted idle vessels, and introduced new routes in anticipation of a shipping surge due to the tariff suspension.
- June 2025：
- Total capacity from Asia to North America projected to reach 2.4 million TEUs—400,000 TEUs more than May 2025.
- June 2025：
- Asia–U.S. West Coast capacity is reported to have a 17% year-on-year rise; East Coast capacity is up 7% year-on-year.
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