Brief | Creating Resilience

Asian 3PL Providers Target U.S. Coastal Markets Ahead of Potential Tariffs

February 19, 2025 3 Minute Read

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Retailers and wholesalers have upped their foreign imports ahead of potential tariffs by the Trump administration, leading to a sizeable increase in demand for U.S. coastal facilities by Asian third-party logistics (3PL) providers.

Of the 428 new bulk (100,000 sq. ft. or more) leases signed by 3PL providers last year (up by 16% from 2023), 78 or 18% were by Asian-based companies. More than 80% of their lease signings were for facilities within 100 miles of a U.S. seaport.

Asian 3PL providers took advantage of the growing amount of lower-rent sublease space, which accounted for 21% of their new leases compared with only 12% for non-Asian providers.

Figure 1: New Bulk 3PL Leases, Direct vs. Sublease

Note: includes new bulk (100,000 sq. ft.+) leases signed in 2024.
Source: CBRE Research, 2025.

With relatively close proximity to the major West Coast ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the Inland Empire was the preferred location for Asian 3PL providers, accounting for 28 of their bulk leases last year. Asian providers also accounted for the largest share of the Inland Empire’s total leases signed by 3PL providers last year at 42.4%, followed by Philadelphia at 29.4%.

Figure 2: Asian 3PL New Bulk Leases by Market

*Ranks markets with 10 or more new bulk (100K+) 3PL leases signed in 2024.
**Total includes all new 3PL leases in the U.S.
Source: CBRE Research, 2025.

Asian 3PL providers likely will account for a solid share of overall 3PL leasing activity in 2025 even in the face of increased tariffs on certain foreign imports.

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