Plan for port congestion across North America
North America
A large influx of freight has arrived in early 2025 due to importers front-loading goods amid strike concerns and front-loading in anticipation of tariff changes. As driver turn times increase, 30% of transactions are taking over two hours at some terminals. Expect these conditions to persist beyond the Lunar New Year.
ILA-USMX resolution and ongoing impact
Despite a tentative agreement between the ILA and USMX, residual impacts from the potential strike include importers front-loading or shifting routings to the USWC, which may continue to strain the system. The seasonal rush before Lunar New Year and ongoing tariff uncertainty have only added to the complexity, affecting freight volumes and capacity planning.
The evolving impact of tariffs
New tariffs under the current U.S. administration could increase demand for bonded drayage and in-bond or foreign trade zone (FTZ) warehousing solutions. Expect a high amount of rate volatility outside of negotiated network rates and some carriers to start imposing premium charges. Keep in mind, tariff changes impact more than just costs. For example, Section 301 tariffs previously led to more X-ray inspections at ports, causing delivery delays and higher costs. Closely monitor these developments and watch for updates on future impact.
Diesel fluctuations
Tariffs in the first quarter of 2025 could drive more importers to pull-forward freight, increasing logistics costs and diesel demand. The EIA forecasts a 5–10% rise in diesel prices once tariffs are in effect. However, domestic energy policy changes, like expanding, refining, or drilling, may stabilize or slightly reduce costs mid-year.
Impact of U.S. import tariffs
New tariffs under the current U.S. administration may increase demand for bonded drayage and in-bond or FTZ warehousing solutions. Rate volatility outside of our negotiated network bid rates is expected, with some carriers imposing premium charges. Section 301 tariffs previously led to more X-ray inspections at ports, causing delivery delays and higher costs. We are closely monitoring these developments and will provide updates on potential impacts.
West Coast
Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB)
The three main terminals (PCT, ITS, WBCT) currently average turn times are over one and a half hours—and they continue to increase. PCT and ITS remain the most congested, with ~30% of transactions taking longer than two hours. The Long Beach Container Terminal has resolved issues from December 2024 and is performing well, but terminal appointment availability remains a challenge as operators optimize operations through metering gates via appointments.
Houston/Pacific Northwest
Expect operations to be business as usual at the Port of Houston. There have been minor reports of delays or congestion in scattered parts of the Houston metro, but that stems from crane movements and the influx of drivers trying to recover freight. Similarly, the Seattle and Tacoma ports are running smoothly with no delays or concerns.
Southeast
Charleston/Savannah
Lead times have increased significantly and now a 48-hour lead time is recommended to avoid missed pickups. Chassis shortages within South Carolina pool equipment are impacting the Charleston market, indicating a growing chassis shortage.
Jacksonville
Delays and driver availability are impacting the area. Carriers have reached out to terminal leadership at SSA for solutions to reduce congestion.
Atlanta
Significant congestion has been reported since December 2024. Regional carriers require shippers to provide the last free date and pickup number before dispatch bookings. NS Austell is experiencing a scarcity of available appointments to return/pull containers, with afternoon appointments often subject to delays.
Central/Ohio Valley
Memphis/Kansas City
Chassis utilization is healthy, with the KPOC pool at just over 70% utilization. Efforts are being made to bring more chassis into the market to support demand, primarily for 40′ chassis.
Memphis/Nashville/Huntsville
This area is operating at 52% utilization. Nashville has the most capacity, while Memphis has a higher out-of-service percentage at 7.7%. The CSX ramp continues to face issues in multiple markets, including Nashville, where delays are increasingly common.