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.

Jock O’Connell

Explore the complexities of America’s containerized export trade in this in-depth analysis by Jock O’Connell. From rising outbound empty TEUs to long-standing trade imbalances, this article examines the economic, political, and logistical forces behind the U.S. backhaul trade. Featuring port-by-port breakdowns and historical context, it offers crucial insight into why empties are overtaking exports and what that reveals about U.S. competitiveness in global trade.

May 2025 dwell times at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach held steady, with rail cargo averaging 4.70 days and truck cargo just under 3. Learn how consistent terminal operations are supporting resilient supply chains amid global trade uncertainty.

Celebrate the inspiring stories of women shaping the maritime industry in PMSA’s “Amazing Women in Maritime” campaign. Discover insights, leadership journeys, and the push for greater inclusion across West Coast ports.

Join PMSA President Mike Jacob joins Waterfront Logistics, Weston LaBar for an insight podcast conversation on tariffs, regulatory complications and more.

Despite strong opposition, AQMD moves forward with a rebranded "Ports Infrastructure Rule" aimed at regulating port operations. Learn more about the impact of this rule and the upcoming community workshop in our latest update.

Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach

In recent weeks, the Port of Long Beach announced the results of its new economic impact analysis that shows the millions of jobs and billions of dollars in wages that trade through our gateway supports across our nation.

Mike Jacob, President

In a political environment with a dearth of work across the aisle, the bipartisanship in efforts to reinvigorate and grow the US footprint in the maritime industry, including in the shipbuilding and equipment manufacturing sectors, is particularly remarkable. 

Jock O’Connell

My late Aunt Euphrasia’s daughter Philomena has long been a prescient source of market intelligence. A notoriously frugal soul, she has always shopped for household staples, along with her usual supply of “cooking” wines, at discount stores she derisively refers to as her “General Buck” stores.

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.

Exhibits 9 and 10 show the nation’s ten leading container gateways ranked by the declared weight and value of containerized imports during the first quarter of 2025.

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.

Dwell times at the San Pedro Bay Ports improved in April 2025, with rail-destined cargo averaging 4.72 days - the lowest since April 2024. Truck-bound containers remained stable at 2.78 days for the twelfth consecutive month. This consistency reflects continued coordination and efficiency across the supply chain, even amid shifting trade volumes.

In six months, the United States will be increasing fees on Chinese ships based on vessel capacity, as part of the Trump administration’s bid to revive the domestic maritime and shipbuilding industries.

Discover key insights from the new Goods on the Move report by SCLC and LAEDC, highlighting Southern California's $497B trade and logistics industry, its challenges, and bold policy solutions for sustaining economic growth and competitiveness.

Mike Jacob, President

In this compelling commentary, PMSA President Mike Jacob critiques recent U.S. tariff policies as self-inflicted setbacks to American global economic leadership. He highlights the risks these measures pose to consumers, supply chains, and long-term industrial growth—including efforts to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding. Jacob calls for a return to trade policies that foster economic strength, global trust, and strategic maritime investment.

Natasha Villa, External Affairs Manager

Trump’s new tariffs and California’s Port ISR could raise costs on everyday goods - learn how these policies hurt working-class Americans.

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.