Normally, the Port of Los Angeles is the nation’s busiest container gateway. Still, from time to time, the Port of New York/New Jersey (PNYNJ) lays claim to the title, invariably causing the East Coast media to break out the celebratory sparklers. The contest for the nation’s top container port is typically framed in the media as a rivalry between PNYNJ and the Port of LA, the Yankees vs. the Dodgers, if you will.

On July 9, the National Retail Federation’s Global Port Tracker projected that 2.06 million TEUs laden with goods from abroad would arrive in June at the thirteen U.S. mainland ports it surveys.

Explore whether the U.S. West Coast’s share of container trade is declining, examining recent trends, stats, and implications for port competition.

Through the first five months of 2025, containerized export tonnage from U.S. West Coast ports to China and Hong Kong plunged by 42.1% from the same period a year earlier and by 61.4% from the same months in 2019.

Once upon a time, Japan was the primary overseas trading partner of the ports that now operate as the Northwest Seaport Alliance. Indeed, Japan was the leading U.S. trading partner for containerized cargo, according to a 1980 report from the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Exhibits 1-3 display the May TEU counts for the North American ports PMSA monitors. (Note that May figures for the Port of Baltimore were unavailable by our publication deadline.)  At the remaining U.S. ports, the year’s fifth month saw the number of inbound loaded TEUs decline by 6.4% from a year earlier to 2,018,951 TEUs as confusion over tariffs prompted importers to slow the build-up of inventory.

Discover the latest preliminary container volumes for May 2025, revealing emerging shifts in port trade dynamics. This update highlights trends across major West Coast, East Coast, Gulf, and Canadian ports, offering a snapshot of loaded and empty TEU activity.

Trace the journey of America’s favorite fruit—from tropical plantations to supermarket shelves. This article delves into banana production, shipping logistics, and trade dynamics shaping the fruit’s path to your grocery cart.

Explore West Coast tree nut exports in this data-rich analysis. From almonds and pistachios to walnuts, discover port-specific volumes, top global destinations, and how tariffs and logistics shape California’s vital agricultural trade.

Dive into a data-driven analysis of how container trade is reverting to long-term patterns. This article examines historical norms, trends in empty vs. laden TEUs, and what these shifts reveal about global trade stability and U.S. export competitiveness.

April 2025 container data reveals shifting trends at North American ports, with West Coast gateways seeing modest growth and Gulf ports continuing to outperform. Explore key TEU stats and trade insights.

Everyone knows that importers striving to avoid impending tariff increases brought in a passel of products during the first quarter of this year. In every media outlet from print newspapers to gubernatorial podcasts, images depicting seaport operations are used to frame reports about the nation’s foreign trade.

At the U.S. ports we track, the year’s third month saw the number of inbound loaded TEUs increase 11.6% from a year earlier to 2,276,719 TEUs as the prospect of higher tariffs spurred importers to load up on inventory. Collectively, outbound loads from those same U.S. ports edged up by 3.6% from March 2024 to 1,123,083 TEUs.

U.S. West Coast ports saw a drop in containerized import market share this spring. Explore shifting coastal trends, export transport modes, and 2024’s trade data breakdown.

Explore how retaliatory tariffs are impacting California’s almond, walnut, and pistachio exports. See 2025 YTD volumes and economic effects on U.S. agriculture.

Preliminary March 2025 port data reveals a shift in market share as East and Gulf Coast ports surpass West Coast volumes. See detailed TEU stats from Los Angeles, Long Beach, Virginia, and more.

Explore February 2025 loaded container volumes for key U.S. and Canadian ports. Get in-depth insights on TEU trends, year-over-year changes, and comparisons to pre-pandemic levels in PMSA’s latest trade data update.

West Coast ports see a surge in import volumes, with USWC handling 47% of U.S. containerized imports. Oakland aims to rebalance trade by boosting exports. Understanding export meaning and trends is key as the port implements its five-year plan. Learn more about shifting trade dynamics and exports definition.

Discover the maritime gateways of the U.S. West Coast and the top US exports imports in 2024, including US main exports like petroleum coke, soybeans, and corn. Explore how commodities like soybeans and waste & scrap paper are driving the commodities exchange act.