The Port of Long Beach, a key gateway for U.S. imports, has experienced a notable shift in its trade patterns, moving away from a heavy reliance on China. In 2015, approximately 65% of container-equivalents arriving at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach originated in China. By 2021, this share had fallen to 53.4%, despite raw import numbers from China increasing to nearly 5.4 million TEUs in 2020. This decline in China's proportional share reflects a broader realignment in global trade, with total imports growing at a much higher rate. Noel Hacegaba, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, stated that in 2019, 70% of the port's cargo was tied to China, a figure that has since dropped to 60%, with trade from Southeast Asian nations continuing to grow significantly.
Southeast Asian countries have been major beneficiaries of this trade diversification. Vietnam, for instance, has emerged as the Port of Long Beach's second-largest trading partner, with its share of import cargo more than doubling from just over 5% in 2015 to 10.1% in 2020. By 2025, Vietnam exported nearly 1.55 million TEUs through L.A.-Long Beach, marking a 292% increase over its 2015 exports and accounting for 15.3% of the port's yearly haul. Thailand has also rapidly ascended to become the third-largest trading partner, representing 5.62% of the 2025 import haul, with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia also showing significant gains. This diversification has led to cargo imports from other East Asian nations occasionally surpassing China's in value since May 2025.
Despite the decreased activity from China, the Port of Long Beach has continued to see overall cargo volume growth, even setting an all-time record last year. This growth is partly attributed to disruptions like restrictions at the Panama Canal and ongoing frontloading of goods due to tariffs and geopolitical uncertainties, which have shifted cargo to U.S. West Coast ports. To accommodate the increasing volumes, especially from Southeast Asia which adds two to three days to transit times, the port is undertaking significant infrastructure upgrades. The $1.8 billion Pier B on-dock rail support facility project at the Port of Long Beach, planned for completion by 2032, aims to triple on-dock rail volume and reduce cargo processing time from four days to one, enhancing speed to market and rail connectivity, which is crucial for future success and capacity.
However, this shift also presents challenges for inland transportation, with experts like Anne Reinke of the Intermodal Association of North America warning of dramatically constrained drayage capacity and soaring rates. The Port of Long Beach's August throughput of 919,922 TEUs marked a new record for the month, up 2% year-on-year, with imports increasing by 3.6%. Year-to-date through the first eight months of 2026, the port has moved 6,678,078 TEUs, an increase of 1.3% over the same period last year. While China remains an important trading partner due to its sheer scale and established supply chain infrastructure, the "China plus one" sourcing strategy adopted by many companies signifies a long-term trend of diversification.
