In a development not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Coast port officials reported Friday that no cargo vessels had departed from China bound for the two major ports in Southern California—Los Angeles and Long Beach—over the previous 12 hours, according to CNN. Based on port authorities, this sudden drop to zero shipments marks a jarring disruption in U.S.-China trade that could have lasting economic consequences.
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Just six days earlier, 41 ships had been scheduled to leave China for the San Pedro Bay port complex. On Friday morning, that number was zero.
The drop coincides with the latest round of tariffs imposed by Donald Trump in April, which targeted a wide range of Chinese imports. These tariffs, part of the administration’s escalating trade war with Beijing, have raised the cost of doing business with China significantly—enough to halt shipments across the Pacific and stir alarm in America’s busiest ports.
“That’s cause for alarm,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach. “We are now seeing numbers in excess of what we witnessed in the pandemic” when it comes to vessel cancellations and volume drops.
The fallout has been swift and severe. The Port of Long Beach reports a 35–40% decline in cargo volume compared to normal operations. The Port of Los Angeles is also seeing a 31% drop in cargo this week. The slowdown isn’t isolated to California—New York and New Jersey ports are bracing for a decline, and the Port of Seattle reported zero container ships in dock on Wednesday.
This shipping standstill is already impacting U.S. retailers and consumers. Prices on everyday items are climbing as companies pass higher import costs on to customers. An analysis from the Telsey Advisory Group revealed steep price hikes on a variety of consumer goods since Trump’s tariff policy took effect on April 2.
Between April 16 and April 30:
A Target-exclusive Barbie doll jumped from $10.49 to $14.99, a 43% increase.
A Whirlpool washing machine at Lowe’s rose by nearly $82 to $599.
Girl’s Cat & Jack leggings at Target increased by 33%, from $4.50 to $6.
A Dewalt power drill at Tractor Supply went from $159 to $179—though it was later discounted to $99 in a promotional sale.
The broader implication is clear: with shipping routes disrupted and costs rising, American households may feel the pinch well beyond the ports.
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