Port Of LA Sees Steep Drop In Cargo Volume, Blames US-China Trade War

SAN PEDRO (CBSLA) - Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration as part of an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China is starting to impact operations at the Port of Los Angeles, officials said Thursday.

In its monthly report, the port cited a 19.1% decrease in the number of twenty-foot equivalent units compared to a record-breaking month in Oct. 2018.

Still, total cargo volume remains 1.8% higher than last year, which was the Port's busiest year ever.

"With 25% fewer ship calls, 12 consecutive months of declining exports and now decreasing imports, we're beginning to feel the far-reaching effects of the U.S.-China trade war on American exporters and manufacturers," Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said.

Seroka also projected soft volumes in the months ahead and warned that "less cargo means fewer jobs for American workers."

Jobs at the Port are based on work availability, and longshore workers are distributed daily work orders for what jobs are needed. Seroka provided reports to multiple Los Angeles government agencies in September warning of the incoming issues related to tariffs.

Gao Feng, a spokesperson for China's Commerce Ministry, said that both sides agreed to simultaneously cancel some existing tariffs on goods, according to the country's state broadcaster.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)