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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
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