West's busiest port experiences a significant decline in traffic due to Trump's tariffs
Head down the coast from LA, and you'll come across the San Pedro port complex - a bustling industrial landscape marked by hordes of red cranes looming over the highway. The place is alive with the hum of activity as containers are unloaded from gigantic ocean liners onto endless trucks and trains.
Together with the Port of *Los Angeles, this industrial powerhouse forms the busiest port in the Western Hemisphere. Colorful metal containers hold everything from clothes and car parts to fridges and furniture, with around $300 billion worth of cargo passing through here annually. More than half of it comes from China, making the area a critical hub for U.S.-China trade.
But right now, things are noticeably quieter than usual. There's about a third fewer ships and containers than this time last year, meaning fewer trucks are needed to transport containers from the port terminals to warehouses, and fewer jobs.
This is all thanks to *Donald Trump's tariff policy, which has frozen trade between the U.S. and China. Port officials predict that for May 2025, they'll be around 30% short compared to May 2024.
"It means fewer ships, fewer containers, fewer trucks, and fewer jobs," explains Noel Hacegaba, the Port of Long Beach's Chief Operating Officer.
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Helen Andrade, a lorry driver, knows all too well what this means. She and her husband, Javier, are both truckers, and when work slows down, it affects her first, having only recently obtained her license.
"I can't sleep at night, worrying about this," she says. "We're barely getting by as it is, and already I'm seeing the work drying up. If I don't have another income coming in, how are we going to manage?"
In Long Beach alone, one in five jobs depends on the port. And the impacts aren't confined to this area - shortages of certain items imported from China and prices hikes are affecting communities across the country.
Downtown LA's toy district, a vibrant, culturally diverse area, is a prime example. Here, dozens of streets are home to importers and wholesalers of toys, many of which come from China.
One woman in a toy warehouse is reading a Chinese newspaper and points to a headline about the 145% tariffs. "I can't afford this; I can't afford this; I'll have to raise prices," she sighs.
Around the corner in a party shop selling gift bags and wrapping paper, there are empty shelves where there should be stock. The owner, Jacob Mok, tells our website, "I'll keep watching the China-U.S. negotiations. I hope they reach a deal as soon as possible because this is tough for us."
Jacob isn't alone - the impact is being felt throughout the supply chain.
U.S. trade secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet his Chinese counterpart in Switzerland this weekend. Pressure is building on Trump's team to strike a deal with China and do it fast.
- The tariff talks between the United States and China are under discussion, with President Trump considering a reduction in the tariffs.
- San Pedro port complex, down the coast from LA, experiences a third fewer ships and containers due to Donald Trump's tariff policy, leading to fewer jobs.
- Businesses like Helen Andrade's, a lorry driver in Long Beach, are struggling due to reduced work resulting from the tariff policy - her family is barely getting by.
- In the toy district of downtown LA, importers and wholesalers are facing increased prices and shortages due to the 145% tariffs, affecting hundreds of streets.
- The impact of the tariffs is not contained within the port area; shortages of certain items imported from China and prices hikes are affecting communities across the country, as seen in party shops like Jacob Mok's, where empty shelves are a concern.