Dwell Time Grows, US Port Congestion Continues

Oct 15, 2021 | Transportation and Supply Chain News

Container port

Congestion at US ports Continues

Los Angeles/Long Beach terminal operators have tempered hopes for 24/7 operations to mitigate congestion, claiming that they will not commit to round the-clock gates while 30% of existing appointment slots go unused. Providing round-the-clock service requires a costly extra shift, which does not earn back the investment.

Meanwhile, the Port of Oakland is calling on carriers to route more cargo via its facilities. It claims its berths are congestion-free and that carriers should reinstate services.

During January-September 2021, the main US West Coast ports saw their volumes go up by 17% over 9M20’s figures to 18.5 million TEU. They are also 10% higher than in 9M19. Full imports rose by an 17.2% to 9.2 million TEU, whilst full exports went down by 11.1% to 3.1 million TEU. Consequently, the number of empties was 37% higher than for the same period of 2020. Oakland is the only port where overall throughput did not go up by a double-digit percentage, although its imports grew by just over 10%.

Average* Dwell Time for major gateways in that region:

  • Long Beach 12.6 days
  • Los Angeles – 13.6 days
  • Halifax – 6.5 days
  • New York – 8.5 days
  • Charleston – 10.8 days
  • Savannah – 7.7 days
  • Houston – 10.5 days

 *As of October 15th 2021

About OL International Holdings LLC:

OL International Holdings LLC is a non-asset-based international logistics company headquartered in Westbury, New York. Serving primarily as a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), the Company provides sophisticated ocean, land, and air freight transportation, customs brokerage, and warehouse solutions. The Company operates through a network of company offices and independent, agent-owned offices in over 140 countries worldwide. OL International is a member of the Oceanwide Logistics Global Network.

 

Sign up for The Saturday Shipper

It’s a weekly newsletter that breaks down all of what’s happening in the shipping industry. We promise to only send it out once on Saturdays!

Take me there!

Modifying Reciprocal Tariffs

On July 31, 2025, President Trump declared a national emergency to issue new tariffs, raising some EU tariffs to 15%, adding a 10% tariff on other countries, and imposing a 40% penalty on duty evasion, set to take effect on August 7, 2025. Countries and...

Tariff Update – July 7th Announcement Recap

Overview: President Trump announced a new wave of tariff increases, closely resembling the “Liberation Day” tariffs from April 2nd. The key change was a one-month delay in implementation, pushing the effective date to August 1st. The announcement served as a reminder...

Trump tells Japan, South Korea leaders he’s imposing 25% tariff

On Monday, President Trump issued letters threatening 25% duties on goods from Japan and South Korea, up to 40% on goods from Laos and Myanmar, 30% on South Africa, and 25% on Malaysia and Kazakhstan. Trump also proposed an additional 10% tariff on countries...

U.S. and China agree to slash reciprocal tariffs in major step toward easing trade war

The U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day pause on most tariffs, easing tensions in their ongoing trade war and boosting global markets. The U.S. will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods...

Trump set to unveil ‘full’ US-UK trade deal, first since ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs

President Trump is set to announce a comprehensive trade deal with the UK, marking the first such agreement since his administration imposed and then paused broad "reciprocal" tariffs in April. Trump emphasized the longstanding alliance with...

China eases tariffs on select US goods as Trump says Beijing will ‘eat’ the costs

China is quietly exempting select U.S.-made goods from its steep 125% tariffs to ease trade tensions while preserving a tough public stance, focusing on sectors like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. In contrast, President Trump has...

What’s in Trump’s move to ease US automotive tariffs

Tariff Stacking Removed: Vehicles and parts hit with the new 25% Section 232 auto tariff will no longer face an additional 25% tariff on steel, aluminum, or certain imports from Canada and Mexico. However, tariffs on Chinese imports (up to 145%) and the standard 2.5%...

Trump’s autos tariff relief aimed at reshoring production to US, Lutnick says

On April 29, President Donald Trump is set to sign an order offering temporary relief from his 25% vehicle tariffs to automakers producing in the U.S., allowing time to reconfigure supply chains. The relief includes credits for...

Imports from China now face tariffs of up to 245%, White House says

The U.S. is imposing tariffs as high as 245% on Chinese imports due to national security concerns and China's retaliatory actions, including rare earth export restrictions. These tariffs include a 125% reciprocal...

Trump tariffs on China will soon bring ‘irreversible’ damage to many American businesses

President Trump’s decision to exempt Apple’s iPhone and other tech products from new China tariffs offered limited relief, as the broader U.S. economy, especially small businesses, faces growing strain from a sweeping 145% tariff...