In September, rail container dwell times at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach hit their highest levels in two years as the ports experienced a surge in import volumes from Asia. This spike is partially attributed to retailers redirecting cargo from the East and Gulf coasts due to a looming longshore strike.
Truck-based container dwell times also reached a high of 3.21 days, the longest since October 2023, although terminal operators noted that this isn’t significantly contributing to congestion. The ports handled a record-breaking 874,730 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of imports from Asia in September, surpassing the previous peak from May 2022.
The increased import volumes caused rail container dwell times to rise to an average of 9.25 days, compared to 8.2 days in August. Some containers were reported to be stuck for over 10 days at certain terminals. As the peak shipping season draws to a close, terminal operators expect a decrease in imports through November.
To cope with the congestion, some terminals, like Yusen Terminals, used temporary storage yards to offload containers, while others, like Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT), have managed to maintain relatively low dwell times due to their efficient, automated operations.
Although there is pressure from rising volumes, terminal operators expect import levels and rail delays to drop in the coming weeks, especially as November is traditionally slower after the rush to stock goods for the holiday season. However, disruptions from East Coast labor negotiations could still affect cargo distribution.
In summary, while the LA-Long Beach ports are busy, they’re not overwhelmed, and terminal operators are optimistic that congestion will ease as the holiday peak subsides.
Source: www.joc.com