Official data indicates that total container throughput in May reached 716,619 TEUs, a 5% decrease year-on-year. Notably, import containers totaled only 355,950 TEUs, representing a 9% decrease from the same period last year and a steep 19% drop compared to April, marking the largest month-on-month decrease since early 2023. Exports also fell by 5%, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline.
Port Executive Director Gene Seroka commented “May was our weakest month for cargo volume in over two years. Without comprehensive, long-term trade agreements, consumers may face higher prices and fewer product choices during the upcoming holiday season.”
The most significant impact on import flows stems from elevated U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods with certain items facing duties as high as 145%. Amid a lack of clarity on when trade tensions might ease, importers have adopted a cautious approach, significantly delaying or reducing shipments to the U.S.
Additionally, the decline in container traffic has directly impacted the Southern California economy. The average number of daily ship calls dropped to five, down sharply from the pre-decline average of 12 per day. This has resulted in nearly a 50% reduction in labor demand, severely affecting employment in the local logistics and maritime transport sectors.
Transportation experts forecast that cargo volumes at the Port of Los Angeles may continue to languish during the summer months if tariff barriers remain unresolved. Although some duties have been temporarily adjusted to 30%, analysts warn that the impact on consumer prices and logistics costs will persist. Ernie Tedeschi, Chief Economist at Yale Budget Lab, estimates that the new tariffs are driving up consumer prices by approximately 1.5%, costing U.S. households nearly $2,500 in annual purchasing power, with low-income groups hit hardest.
The decline in cargo throughput at the Port of Los Angeles, which handles over 20% of the U.S.’s containerized import value, serves as a warning signal for global supply chains. Amid mounting international trade barriers, stable tariff policies and long-term trade agreements are seen as critical to revitalizing logistics activity and sustaining growth momentum in the second half of 2025.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
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