Evergreen Chairman Chang Yen-yi said U.S. West Coast ports, especially Los Angeles and Long Beach, could see heavier congestion in the coming weeks. He cited rising freight rates and the addition of more capacity by ocean carriers as key reasons.

Speaking at the company’s annual meeting, Chang noted that the current 90-day pause in the U.S.-China tariff conflict that began on May 12,  has brought on a rush in shipments. As a result, Evergreen expects elevated freight rates to last through September.

Around 200,000 TEUs are already anchored off North American coasts, but Chang believes that number is likely to grow as more capacity is deployed. He predicted freight levels would match the highs earlier this year by late June. 

When asked about the end of the tariff reprieve, Evergreen executives expressed doubt that the U.S. would impose steeper duties, citing the potential impact on domestic consumers. Still, Evergreen acknowledged that market trends depended on broader economic policy and trade shifts.

Adding to the complexity, the International Monetary Fund had recently revised its global growth forecast for 2025 downward, from 3.3% to 2.8%, indicating a slowing of global economic momentum.

Source: The Loadstar