Port of Long Beach cargo up amid war, tariff uncertainty

Amid ongoing uncertainty over the impact of tariffs and conflict in the Middle East, the Port of Long Beach reported solid cargo volumes in February, Port CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba announced Wednesday during a virtual media briefing.

Dockworkers and terminal operators handled 767,525 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo containers last month, up 0.3% from February 2025. Year over year, imports were down 0.2% to 368,060 TEUs, while exports rose 8.2% to 97,422 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port declined 0.15% to 302,044 TEUs.

“Cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach remained positive in February,” Hacegaba said Wednesday during his monthly Supply Chain Insight virtual media briefing. “Despite growing uncertainty fueled by the conflict in the Middle East, cargo continues to move fluidly, planned shipments are on schedule and the Port of Long Beach remains a safe harbor in the sea of trade and geopolitical uncertainty.”

Through the first two months of 2026, the Port of Long Beach has processed 1,615,290 TEUs, down 6% from the same period last year, which was a record year.

Hacegaba told reporters Wednesday that the Port of Long Beach is closely following developments in the Middle East and the impact of last month’s Supreme Court ruling on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, tariffs, when the court ruled about two-thirds of tariffs imposed last year under the IEEPA unconstitutional.

“The conflict in the Middle East has added more uncertainty to global trade and triggered broad market conditions and reactions from parties across the supply chain,” Hacegaba said.

He added: “Operations at the Port of Long Beach continue without disruption. All terminals are open and cargo continues to move fluidly.”

“The Port of Long Beach continues to be a strategically important seaport in the global market and a reliable option for customers,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “We are ready to accept additional cargo if shippers need to pivot.”

Hacegaba weighed in on the impact of the Middle East conflict on oil prices. About 20% of the world’s oil supply is transported through the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has slowed to a trickle since the conflict in Iran began.

“The disruption at the Strait of Hormuz has already triggered a rapid rise in oil prices,” Hacegaba said. “When the price of oil goes up, the cost of shipping increases and consumers pay more at the gas pump and for many everyday goods.”

Despite the higher gas prices, Hacegaba said the Port has not seen any impact to cargo movement since the Port mainly moves goods via the trans-Pacific trade route with Asia.

However, global supply chains are interconnected, he said.

“If this conflict persists and continues to escalate, supply chains everywhere will have to navigate higher fuel and vessel operating costs and seek alternative shipping routes,” Hacegaba said.

The Port of Long Beach is building the Port of the Future, guided by its bold new 2050 vision and a plan to double current container volumes to 20 million by 2050. By strategically modernizing the Port’s infrastructure with $3.2 billion in capital investments over the next decade and developing digital systems to dramatically enhance efficiency and visibility, the Port is also becoming the world’s first zero-emissions port. Today the Port moves cargo valued at $300 billion a year and generates 2.7 million jobs across the U.S., as it continues to lead the world on sustainability programs and plans to double those benefits by doubling volume. As one of only 18 commercial strategic seaports in the U.S. with a duty to support force deployment during national defense emergencies, a community partner that offers $3 million per year in sponsorships for local nonprofits and a major catalyst for workforce development creating opportunities for students far and wide, the Port is well-positioned for even higher achievements. After all, 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. The Port of Long Beach. Always open. Always moving.