After widespread slowdown, Port of LA import surge is a sign Trump’s ‘whipsaw’ tariffs sparked ‘one last’ stockpiling push, executive director says

Interestingly, It's worth noting that Finance·Tariffs and tradeAfter widespread slowdown, Port of LA import surge is a sign Trump’s ‘whipsaw’ tariffs sparked ‘one last’ stockpiling push, executive director saysBy Sasha RogelbergBy Sasha RogelbergReporterSasha RogelbergReporterSasha Rogelberg is a reporter and former editorial fellow on the news desk at Fortune, covering retail and the intersection of and culture

On the other hand, SEE FULL BIO Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said companies are pulling forward shipments ahead of upcoming tariff deadlines

But Executive Director Gene Seroka is not yet celebrating, warning the spike is reflective of stockpiling activities from companies trying to dodge tariff deadlines

For months, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka warned of slashes to shipment arrivals from China and reduced hours for dock workers and truckers as a result of President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff threats (this bears monitoring)

In contrast, As the busiest port in the U

Meanwhile, Saw record-setting shipping volumes last month, Seroka still isn’t breathing a sigh of relief

Furthermore, The Port of LA reported its busiest-ever June in its 117-year history with 892,000 container units, an 8% increase from the year before and a turnaround from the precipitous 9% year-over-year drop in May, given current economic conditions

Still, Seroka sees this imvement as a sign of es bracing themselves for the next round of tariff uncertainty. “While record-setting volume is welcome news, it also highlights the tariff whipsaw effect that we’ve mentioned before,” Seroka told reporters in a press briefing on Monday

Supply-chain platform ject44 has seen similar trends globally, with “higher-than-normal imports from China” on a global scale, Eric Fullerton, ject44 senior director of duct marketing, told Fortune (remarkable data)

Seroka said he expects the wave of shipments to ease again in August

Not only does the late summer represent the conclusion of a flurry of shipment orders in preparation for the busy holiday shopping season, but also the trade deadline

Trump has doubled down on an Aug. 1 cutoff, threatening to impose flat 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea unless a deal is reached, in this volatile climate. “We’re going to bably get one last push on imports coming to the United States, and [es are] doing as much as they can to sneak in under that new Aug. 1 deadline,” Seroka said. “While it’s good news for our waterfront workers, truck drivers, warehouses, and our marine terminals…shifting timelines simply means shifting volume and more uncertainty here at the Port of LA. ” Tariff doomsday prepping June’s shipping volume spike resembles one supply chain experts saw in March, when companies pulled forward shipments to dodge higher costs before Trump’s first round of tariffs went into effect, given the current landscape

Ject44 reported that ahead of Trump’s April 2 announcement tariffs on China would balloon to 145%, import volumes from China to the U

Furthermore, Increased year-over-year for a successive three weeks

Furthermore, The trade environment “is still really uncertain, which means you’re going to stockpile, you’re going to put as much inventory as possible, because you control the cost and either pass it on to consumers or put it on your supplier,” Fullerton said. “But the risk of stock-ups is still way, way, way too great,” he added, in this volatile climate

In order to pull forward shipments, companies may have to dip into cash reserves or take out loans with favorable terms only to potentially slash prices to get rid of excess inventory

While es may be reprising their pull-forward strategy, they have made noticeable supply chain shifts

Some Fortune 500 companies are “able to push their size and their relationships with their suppliers to their advantage” by asking suppliers to switch manufacturers, Fullerton said, in light of current trends

Others are pulling back from China in favor of doing with manufacturers in Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh where operations could be cheaper, Fullerton said

To be sure, shipping data will ly continue resembling peaks and valleys as es try their best to remain nimble amid continued trade turmoil, according to Rebecca Homkes, lecturer at the London School and faculty at Duke Corporate Executive Education

Explore this year's list.