As Black Friday approaches, trade remains on pace with last year

The Port of Long Beach is moving cargo ahead of the record-setting pace achieved last year, largely because retailers ordered shipments early and stocked warehouses before tariffs and reciprocal tariffs were implemented in spring.

In a virtual news conference held Friday, Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero and Chief Operating Officer Noel Hacegaba noted that although shifting trade policies have brought uncertainty to consumers and the supply chain, cargo continues to move smoothly at the nation’s second-busiest port.

Looking ahead to the holiday shopping season, Cordero said a robust Black Friday is anticipated, but consumers will likely be cautious with purchases due to rising prices.

“The consumer has not seen significant tariff impacts given that manufacturers, retailers, and others have shared in incurring some of these costs and mitigating price escalation to the consumer, but that may change as we approach 2026,” Cordero said during the news conference. “Consumers will likely see price escalation in the coming months as shippers continue to pass along the cost of tariffs on goods and a higher percentage of these costs will be passed on to the consumer.”

“Even in the midst of the nation’s longest government shutdown, cargo continues to move smoothly through our port and across the nation’s supply chain,” Hacegaba said. “We continue to coordinate closely with all of our partners to anticipate and mitigate issues before they arise to keep cargo and our economy moving.”

“Our dedicated workforce and terminal operators are working hard to ensure store shelves are stocked and shoppers are able to purchase gifts for the holidays,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “We plan to continue delivering extraordinary customer service and building for a sustainable future into the new year.”

Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 839,671 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo containers last month, down 14.9% from October 2024, which remains as the Port’s strongest month in its 114-year history. Imports declined 17.6% to 401,915 TEUs and exports decreased 11.5% to 99,817 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port were down 12.6% to 337,940 TEUs.

The Port has moved 8,229,916 TEUs through the first 10 months of 2025, up 4.1% from the same period last year.

For complete cargo numbers, visit polb.com/statistics.

The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at more than $300 billion annually and supports 2.7 million jobs across the United States, including 691,000 in Southern California. It is one of 18 commercial strategic seaports in the United States, with a duty to support force deployment during contingencies and other national defense emergencies. In 2025, the Port is celebrating “20 Years of Leading Green,” marking two decades of its landmark Green Port Policy that has dramatically reduced environmental impacts from operations. Industry leaders named Long Beach “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for a seventh consecutive year and “The Best Green Seaport” in 2025. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $3.2 billion in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.