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.

Captain Mike Moore, Vice President of PMSA

Ports often assess performance by tracking cargo volume growth. While additional metrics exist, cargo reigns supreme. Container ports measure activity in terms of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), categorized by imports, exports, and empties in both domestic and international trade.

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.

Jennifer Cohen, PMSA Vice President, Government Relations

PMSA has sponsored a bill for the past several years in the California state legislature to facilitate testing and piloting, at 100% private expense, of cargo handling equipment (CHE) technology that eliminates tailpipe greenhouse gas and diesel particulate matter emissions, and nearly eliminates nitrogen oxide emissions.

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.

Explore June 2025 dwell time data for the San Pedro Bay ports. Learn how improved rail and truck cargo movement at the Ports of LA and Long Beach reflects continued operational efficiency.

Mike Jacob, President

Examine how the South Coast Air Board’s proposed rule 2304 (ISR) acts as an indirect tax on consumers. This article analyzes regulation impacts, economic implications, and what maritime and logistics sectors need to know.

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.

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.