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3mo ago

West Coast Ports Face First Shutdown Since Pandemic as Tariffs Halt China Trade

A dramatic decline in cargo traffic linked to steep tariffs has left California's ports struggling, with job losses mounting and supply chain disruptions spreading nationwide.

A cargo ship moors at the container terminal berth of Lianyungang Port for loading and unloading containers in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China, on May 9, 2025.
A container ship sits docked at the Port of Los Angeles on May 6, 2025, in San Pedro, California. Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are seeing significant drops in expected cargo ships coming into port this week due to tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.
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Overview

  • No cargo ships have departed China for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in the past 12 hours, marking the first such stoppage since the COVID pandemic.
  • Port traffic at Long Beach and Los Angeles is down 30–40% year-over-year, with 17 blank sailings in May equating to 225,000 fewer containers processed.
  • Dockworkers and truckers are facing significant job losses, with over 235 workers unable to secure shifts in a single day, and part-time workers hit the hardest.
  • Retailers are reporting empty shelves and rising prices as supply chain disruptions ripple across the U.S., impacting consumers and small businesses alike.
  • U.S. and Chinese trade representatives are meeting in Geneva this weekend to negotiate a potential resolution to the escalating trade war and adjust tariff rates.