A quick update on the current logistics landscape in Southern California and what shippers can do to mitigate potential disruptions:

Import Surge and Empty Container Imbalance

  • January saw a sharp increase in imports as shippers rushed to beat anticipated U.S. tariffs and Lunar New Year factory closures.
  • Year-over-year import growth:
    • Port of Long Beach: up 31.3%
    • Port of Los Angeles: up 12.6%
  • (Source: PIERS, S&P Global)
  • With exports slowing (LA exports down 18% in February), most containers are being returned to Asia empty. Empty container volumes were up 16% during the same period.

Operational Impact on Drayage and Terminals

  • Empty containers are now heavily concentrated at drayage yards and terminals, many still mounted on chassis.
  • This is creating congestion, tying up equipment, and triggering potential detention and demurrage fees.
  • Truckers report difficulty in securing return appointments—some terminals require dual transactions (return empty/pick up full), further complicating operations.
  • Marine terminal operators note that many appointment slots, especially night and weekend shifts, go unfilled.

Contributing Factors

  • Limited appointment availability or inconvenient return windows
  • Terminal strategies to push more traffic to night gates
  • Post-Lunar New Year blank sailings slowing container repositioning
  • Lack of compensation to truckers for storing ocean carriers’ containers

 

Source: NCBFAA