by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor
A recent report by the US-based Journal of Commerce (JOC) identified several issues impacting US ports after the US-China tariff tension.
Speaking to stakeholders from key ports in the country, the JOC warned that ports and marine terminals along the US West Coast could face a significant reduction in imports in the coming weeks.
After the implementation of tariffs from both China and the US, carriers announced multiple blank sailings due to a decrease in shipped volumes. The impact of blank sailings and half-empty container ships arriving from China is becoming clearer, especially in the US.
According to the JOC, Southern California will be particularly affected by the trade tension. Officials in the major Los Angeles and Long Beach ports expect a substantial cut in imports in May.
Los Angeles anticipates a 35% decline, while Long Beach expects a 38% drop compared to their normal monthly volumes.
A Port of Los Angeles spokesperson indicated that 17 blank sailings are scheduled for May and 12 for June. Similarly, Long Beach is set to have 13 blanked sailings in May and 17 in June.
On the West Coast, the Port of Oakland also expects a decrease in vessel calls and import volumes over the next two months.
A spokesperson for the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) of Seattle and Tacoma told JOC that carriers are scheduled to blank 17 sailings to the port complex in May and June.
Capacity shifts and impact on Asia-Europe
As shipped volumes drop across the Transpacific, sailings and capacities shift to other trade lanes, including Asia-Europe and the Transatlantic.
Kuehne+Nagel reports a clear trend from the carrier side of cutting capacity on Asia-US and China-US specifically. This eventually leads to ships distributed across various other trades.
“The first trade will be Latin America, then Africa and then to Asia-North Europe and Asia-Mediterranean,” says Alexandra Ilascu, Kuehne+Nagel's Global Sea Logistics Trade Manager for Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Europe.
Data analysis firm Linerlytica revealed in its latest report that 8.6% of capacity on the Far East-West Coast of North America was removed just one month after the US tariffs on its imports were imposed.
The firm writes, "27 ships for 200,000 TEU have been removed from the West Coast since April, with the bulk of the surplus tonnage redeployed to the Asia-Europe and Med routes."
Furthermore, analysts have noted that bookings from China to the US dropped nearly 54% during the week of 21–28 April compared to the same week in March.
Expected congestion after Asia imports rebound
Experts are also concerned about congestion at US ports once capacities return to normal.
JOC adds that container line executives warn that a rebound in Asian imports may overwhelm major US ports. However, the timing and scale of the rebound remain uncertain.
Importers and consignees could face limited availability of warehousing and chassis, while a surge in international intermodal could deplete rail car supply.
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