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Trade Lane IntelligenceTrans-Pacific

Trans-Pacific Trade Lane

Asia → US West Coast (and Gulf/East Coast via Suez) · $900B+/year

The Trans-Pacific trade lane — Asia to US West Coast — is the busiest container shipping corridor on earth, moving $900B+ in goods annually. China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia collectively ship more to the United States than any other region. For freight brokers with Trans-Pacific carrier relationships, manifest data is the definitive tool for identifying who is shipping, what they're shipping, and in what volume.

$900B+
Annual lane volume
LA/LGB #1
Dominant US entry port complex
6 origin countries
Top: China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, India
40%+
Of all US ocean imports

Top Commodities on the Trans-Pacific Lane

CategoryShare
Electronics & Technology~28%
Machinery & Equipment~18%
Apparel & Textiles~12%
Furniture & Bedding~10%
Plastics & Chemicals~8%

Key Ports — Trans-Pacific

US Entry Ports

Los Angeles / Long Beach
Largest US container port complex — handles ~40% of Trans-Pacific volume
Seattle / Tacoma
Second major West Coast hub — strong for automotive (Japan) and Asian general cargo
Oakland
Bay Area entry — tech, food, and agricultural imports from Asia
Prince Rupert (Canada)
Growing Trans-Pacific alternative with direct rail to Midwest

Major Origin Ports

Shanghai / Ningbo (China)
Largest export port complex in the world by volume
Shenzhen / Guangzhou (China)
Electronics and consumer goods manufacturing hub
Busan (South Korea)
Major Korean transshipment and export hub
Yokohama / Tokyo (Japan)
Japanese automotive and industrial goods
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Rapidly growing — apparel, furniture, electronics

Top Importer Types — Trans-Pacific Lane

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Major Retailers (Direct Import)

Walmart, Amazon, Target, Home Depot, and large e-commerce brands import directly from Asian manufacturers. These importers file hundreds of manifests annually and represent the highest-volume Trans-Pacific accounts. Each has dedicated logistics teams — but their subcontractors and 3PLs use brokers.

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US Manufacturers (Component Sourcing)

US manufacturers importing components, sub-assemblies, and raw materials from Asian factories. Electronics OEMs, appliance makers, and industrial equipment companies are significant Trans-Pacific importers that often use specialized freight brokers for customs and final delivery.

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Mid-Market Direct Importers

Thousands of $5M–$100M companies import directly from Asian factories for their own brand or distribution. These are the sweet spot for freight brokers: consistent volume, no in-house logistics expertise, and genuinely open to broker relationships.

📅 Seasonal Patterns — Trans-Pacific

Trans-Pacific imports follow predictable seasonal cycles. Q3 (July–September) is peak season as US retailers import holiday merchandise. Volume typically surges 20–30% above annual average during peak season and dips in Q1 (January–March) post-holiday. Chinese New Year (late January/early February) causes a 2–3 week factory shutdown that drives pre-holiday stocking surges in November–December.

Sample Trans-Pacific Manifest Records

trans-pacific manifest results
ShipperProductUS ConsigneePortWeight
SHENZHEN ELECTRONICS MFG COCONSUMER ELECTRONICS DEVICESUS RETAIL IMPORTS LLCLong Beach28,400 KG
HANSAE VIETNAM CO LTDKNITTED SPORTSWEARNIKE USA INCLos Angeles24,800 KG
TOYOTA MOTOR CORP JAPANPASSENGER VEHICLESTOYOTA MOTOR SALES USALong Beach420,000 KG
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COSEMICONDUCTOR MEMORYSAMSUNG SEMICONDUCTOR USALos Angeles8,400 KG

Common Trans-Pacific Search Queries

  • All electronics imports arriving at Long Beach from Chinese manufacturers
  • Vietnamese apparel importers arriving via LA in Q3 (peak season)
  • "furniture" imports from Vietnam and Malaysia to US Southeast ports
  • New importers (first-time manifest filers) from Taiwan — tech products
  • Korean semiconductor importers to US logistics hubs

Why Trans-Pacific Manifest Data Matters

The Trans-Pacific is where the volume is — and where broker opportunity is largest

More than 40% of all US ocean imports arrive via the Trans-Pacific. For freight brokers with West Coast carrier relationships and trans-Pacific logistics expertise, this lane represents the largest addressable market in the industry. Manifest data identifies every active importer on the lane by product, volume, and frequency.

Peak season intelligence gives you 60-day advance notice

By monitoring which importers are ramping up manifest filings in June-July (Q3 peak season approach), brokers can identify capacity needs 6–8 weeks before the market tightens. First-call relationships — built because you knew the surge was coming — outperform reactive capacity scrambling every year.

China+1 shifts create new accounts constantly

Importers continuously shift production from China to Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. Every shift means new shipper relationships, new routing, and new broker needs. Manifest data captures these transitions in real time — a production shift from China to Vietnam appears in the data the quarter it happens.

FAQ — Trans-Pacific Trade Lane

What US ports handle the most Trans-Pacific imports?

Los Angeles and Long Beach together handle approximately 40% of all Trans-Pacific container imports. Seattle/Tacoma is the second-largest West Coast hub, handling about 10–12% of Trans-Pacific volume. Oakland, Portland, and Vancouver/Prince Rupert handle most of the remainder.

Does manifest data cover all Trans-Pacific imports or just FCL?

CBP manifest data covers all ocean container shipments — both FCL (full container load) and LCL (less-than-container-load) consolidated shipments. LCL typically shows the consolidator as shipper; freight to the ultimate consignee may require cross-referencing.

How do I find new Trans-Pacific importers who just started importing from Asia?

First-time manifest filers appear as new consignee names with no prior history in the database. Filtering for new importers on Trans-Pacific lanes — particularly from emerging origins like Vietnam and India — surfaces companies that are just establishing their supply chains and freight relationships.

Can I track which Trans-Pacific importers are shifting from China to Vietnam?

Yes. Search a specific consignee name and compare their China-origin vs Vietnam-origin shipment volumes over time. The supply chain shift shows up directly as Chinese shipper frequency drops and Vietnamese shipper frequency rises for the same US consignee.

Search Trans-Pacific Manifest Data

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Also: All trade lanes · By origin country · By port