What is driving the May volume surge?
Port authority reporting and trade press coverage attribute the import surge primarily to tariff-driven frontloading, with retailers and importers advancing shipments ahead of potential tariff increases and rising transportation costs. The 40% year-on-year import figure is consistent with the frontloading dynamic described across multiple freight market trackers in the same period.
| Metric | May 2026 Volume | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total TEUs handled | 842,030 | +31.7% |
| Imports | 418,851 TEUs | +40.0% |
| Exports | 109,168 TEUs | +32.9% |
| Empty containers | 314,012 TEUs | +21.8% |
| YTD (Jan–May 2026) | 4.05 million TEUs | +0.2% |
- May 2026 was the third-busiest May on record for Long Beach
- Year-to-date volume through May is on pace with the port's busiest-ever full year
- Empty container movements rose alongside imports, reflecting outbound repositioning of equipment
What does this mean for near-term port congestion risk?
Port operations data cited in recent terminal reporting shows current truck turn times around 55 minutes with no active dwell fees — meaning the May volume surge has been absorbed without visible congestion at the time of publication. However, trade press coverage notes that Global Port Tracker forecasts year-over-year volume declines at major US ports in July, August, and September as frontloading activity fades, creating a potential volume cliff after the current surge.
Is the frontloading surge creating congestion downstream?
While the port itself reports fluid operations, the 40% import surge is working its way through inland distribution channels. Warehouse receiving appointment availability and chassis utilization in the Inland Empire are the most likely indicators of any downstream pressure — ANKPOST Pulse drayage data for the Inland Empire is the closest available real-time proxy for this.
What Shippers Should Do
- If your May or June cargo contributed to this volume surge, confirm inland appointment booking lead times for your distribution center — receiving congestion tends to lag port-side volumes by one to three weeks.
- Monitor empty container return appointment availability at Long Beach terminals; the 21.8% jump in empty movements signals active repositioning but could tighten available return slots.
- For cargo planned for July or August, re-examine your booking timing in light of Global Port Tracker's forecast of volume declines post-frontloading, which may create a window of better equipment availability and lower drayage pressure.
- Track Long Beach terminal turn-time data via ANKPOST Pulse for early signals that the current volume level is beginning to build dwell.