Port of LA Breaks Records as Shippers Race Against Clock

The Port of Los Angeles recorded its busiest June ever, processing over 892,000 shipping containers as importers scrambled to outpace incoming tariffs on Chinese goods. The new record, an 8% jump from last year, was propelled by companies accelerating shipments ahead of a looming August 12 deadline for tariff talks with China, CNBC reports. The rush stems from what port officials call a "tariff whipsaw effect," a pattern of shipping volume volatility triggered by shifting US-China trade policy.

While June's activity set a high-water mark in the port's 117-year history, Executive Director Gene Seroka cautioned against labeling it a surge, noting that the spike is temporary and driven by uncertainty. He predicts that July could be another record month as importers rush to beat the "reciprocal" tariffs due to kick in Aug. 1, followed sharp decline from August onward as new tariffs push costs higher for American businesses. "We're probably going to get one last push on imports coming to the United States," Seroka tells CNN. The National Retail Federation expects a double-digit percentage drop in cargo volume at US ports from August through November.

Importers say tariff costs have already escalated dramatically. Bobby Djavaheri of Yedi Houseware says the tariff bill on a single load of kitchen appliances from China now costs as much as $50,000—up from $2,000 pre-tariffs. Many companies are only bringing in essential goods, and some are shifting supply chains to other Asian countries, although new tariffs and logistical hurdles persist. Even as some diversify production, key components often still originate in China, limiting flexibility.