LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30 : Cargo ships and containers sit idle in the Port of Los Angeles as workers staged a slow-down after shipping companies locked them out from working after a weekend labor dispute, September 30, 2002 on Terminal Island area of Long Beach, California. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – In a dramatic downturn not seen since the pandemic, port officials confirmed that no cargo vessels departed China for California’s two busiest ports—Los Angeles and Long Beach—in 12 hours on Friday. The unprecedented halt comes amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, with steep new tariffs choking off the flow of goods.
Just days ago, port authorities expected 41 ships to head toward the San Pedro Bay Complex. Now, there are none.
“This is cause for alarm,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach. “We are now seeing cancellation numbers worse than what we experienced during the pandemic.”
The drop is steep and swift. The Port of Long Beach reported a 35-40% decline in cargo volume, while the Port of Los Angeles saw a 31% dip. Seattle reported no container ships in port, another stark reminder of the scale of disruption.
The sudden slowdown follows President Donald Trump’s imposition of massive tariffs last month—145% on most Chinese imports and 125% on U.S. exports to China. Trump on Friday suggested lowering the tariff rate to 80%, though final terms may depend on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. A high-stakes meeting between U.S. and Chinese trade representatives is scheduled for this weekend in Geneva.
Cordero warned that the consumer impact could be immediate. “If this continues, we’ll see empty shelves within 30 days.”
Los Angeles and Long Beach ports process roughly 40% of all U.S. imports, with China as the top source. At Long Beach alone, 63% of cargo once came from China, though that’s down from 72% in 2016.
Maersk, the world’s second-largest shipping line, reported a 30-40% drop in cargo volume between the two countries. CEO Vincent Clerc cautioned that without de-escalation, the consequences could deepen.
President Trump, however, has downplayed the disruption, saying the port slowdown is “a good thing” because it means the U.S. is “losing less money.”
Democratic lawmakers representing California disagree. Reps. Nanette Barragán, Robert Garcia, and Jimmy Gomez visited the ports Friday, highlighting the threat to local jobs and rising consumer prices.
“A 1% drop in cargo could wipe out nearly 3,000 jobs,” said Barragán, adding that the ripple effects could harm working families in Long Beach and San Pedro.
Gomez warned that smaller businesses will suffer while major retailers may have stockpiled inventory before the tariffs. “The mom-and-pop stores don’t have the space or the resources. They’re the ones who will feel this pain the most.”
With 17 blank sailings in May—totaling 225,000 fewer shipping containers—the nation’s busiest trade hub is bracing for a deeper economic shock.
