The Port of Los Angeles is on track to handle 10 million containers in 2025, marking only the third time in its history to reach this milestone, according to Port Executive Director Gene Seroka. In a recent media briefing, Seroka stated, “With six weeks to go, we are within reach of the 10 million container unit-mark for the year.”
Through the first ten months of 2025, the port processed 8.6 million TEUs, a 2% increase compared to the same period last year.
Sea-Intelligence’s analysis of laden import volumes through September 2025 showed a performance gap among major North American West Coast ports. In its November 12 press release, the analyst reported that Canadian ports outperformed their U.S. counterparts during the third quarter. “The Canadian ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert saw 2025-Q3 growth that was broadly consistent with their 2017-2019 pre-pandemic averages,” said Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence.
Supporting this trend, Peter Xotta, President and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, noted in September that the Port of Vancouver recorded a 13% increase in cargo moved year-over-year for the first six months of 2025. “Containerized trade—like the Canadian economy—has shown remarkable strength and resilience so far this year in the face of U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty,” Xotta said.
Sea-Intelligence also highlighted market share shifts. The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) – a partnership between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma – experienced the steepest decline market share in 2025, dropping from 8.9% in Q1 to 7.5% in Q3. Meanwhile, the Port of Los Angeles expanded its share from 35.3% to 38.0% over the same period.
Looking ahead, Seroka expects total volumes to soften in November and December compared with last year. “This year, we’ll expect a seasonal slowdown in the 10-15% range compared to 2024,” he said, noting that last year’s figures were exceptionally high. The reason, Seroka said, was due to importers pulling forward shipments to avoid anticipated tariff increases and potential port fees – fees that have since been deferred for 12 months.
Source: Port of Los Angeles, Sea-Intelligence, Port of Vancouver