A few days ago, I ventured along the waterfront whose route took me along the Port of San Francisco. The port by the bay has certainly seen better days, and many of the buildings that once housed bustling canneries and fishing outposts are now mostly populated by tech startups and restaurants. These days, port activity is more of an afterthought, if thought about at all, for most people. Honestly, I likely wouldn’t give it much thought either if I weren’t in the logistics industry. The reality is that port activity can provide a clear snapshot of the economy and its direction.

Port traffic in the key regions across the states has seen marked improvement supplemented by jobs. For example, Los Angeles saw imports rise 32% and exports by 13% from last year, while Long Beach experienced increases of 27% and 2%. These numbers point to several things: a significant rise in traffic, increased hiring in dock workers, and a rising trade imbalance. Container volume also...