The 90-day tariff truce between the United States and China barely represents a respite for the port of Los Angeles, the most active in North America and the most affected by an unprecedented trade war from which it will be difficult to recover.

The impact of the taxes on the Asian country disarmed activity in the largest port in the United States with a collapse of 32% and 35% in ship traffic in the last two weeks, a heavy blow to one of the main engines of the state of California, which had not experienced a similar crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although on paper the temporary agreement between Trump and China, which comes into force this Wednesday, is favorable for trade between both sides, its wound leaves open a deep hole in the ports of the west coast that is difficult to stop.

Last Friday morning, no cargo ship had left China with goods to the two main ports on the west coast in the last 12 hours, according to port officials told CNN, an unprecedented scene in the last five years.

Nor were there the 41 ships that were planned to leave China for San Pedro Bay, which includes the piers of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California.

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The latter stands out for being one of the key pillars in the economic vitality of the United States, since the port of Long Beach generates 2.7 million jobs worldwide, including more than 1.1 million in California, according to the website.

To the sharp drop in port activity is added the uncertainty in the rise in prices of items from China and the impact to absorb the economic and employment losses generated by ships that never reached their final destination in the midst of the tariff war.

Shipments from China represent about 45% of the business of the port of Los Angeles, which over the years has been increasing its commercial cargo: last year it received 10.3 million containers, a record 1.7 million TEU (maritime cargo unit, equivalent to a 20-foot container), almost 20% more than in 2023.

The truce does not convince the maritime transport sectors, restless about another uncertain panorama that pushes them to drift, without a plan to correct the impact of the decrease in imports in the busiest ports of the United States.

“The reduction of taxes between the US and China is good news for consumers, the US business, workers and the supply chain. To avoid further uncertainty and disruption of trade, both parties must work together quickly towards a long-term agreement,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the port of Los Angeles, in a statement.

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The representative of the port activity of Los Angeles has presented himself in the last month as an iron whistleblower of the serious consequences of the tariffs imposed on China.

The United States has been imposing tariffs on China since April 2 and incurred a reprisal that reached 145% in the midst of the trade war. The Asian country responded with the same currency and applied taxes of 125% on US imports.

After last Sunday’s meeting between Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, the powers consolidated a 30% tariff for China and 10% for the United States for a period of three months in which they hope to agree on a framework that favors both parties.

The National Federation of Retailers also applauded this temporary agreement, “which allows a significant de-escalation of the current trade relationship,” its executive director, Matthew Shay, said in a letter.

But they are not satisfied with these reforms: “We urge the Administration and our Chinese trading partners to continue talks to address current problems, work to eliminate the remaining tariffs for national security reasons and ensure long-term stability between the world’s two largest economies,” he said.

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“If the situation does not change quickly, I mean the uncertainty we are experiencing, we could see empty products on the shelves. The consumer will notice it in the next 30 days,” said the executive director of the Port of Long Beach, Mario Cordero, according to CNN.