Dwell times for containers destined for rail transport from the Ports of Los Angeles (LA) and Long Beach (LB) have reached the longest duration recorded this year. This increase is attributed to robust consumer demand, an early start to holiday shipping, and a varied composition of cargo moving through the ports. According to information from the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), the average rail dwell time climbed to 6.75 days, marking a slight increase from the previous month.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, extended dwell times at major gateways like LA/LB can lead to significant operational challenges. This situation implies potential delays in cargo reaching inland destinations, impacting supply chain schedules and increasing demurrage and detention charges. Forwarders should anticipate longer lead times for transcontinental rail shipments originating from these ports and communicate potential delays to shippers. Proactive monitoring of container status and exploring alternative routing options, if feasible, may help mitigate some impacts.
