North America - Operational Updates

In order to better inform you of the operational situation within USA and Canada, we would like to inform you that our Region North America - Operations & Customer Service Advisory notices are now posted directly to the website in the Offices and Local Information > North America > USA section. In particular, you can find them at the bottom of the Local Information page.

Those items where status has changed from the previous report are identified by an asterisk (*)

With the large number of congested ports and ships awaiting berths, please understand that the dates for arrivals / departures and cut-offs are constantly changing. Please check our Online Business section regularly for updates on this information.

Terminal Operations:

LAX/LGB Terminal Update:
There are currently 24 ships (-2 from March 15th update) at anchor awaiting berths in LAX/LGB as of Friday March 26th. All terminals continue to suffer from severe congestion due to the spike in import volumes. Changes of destination (COD's) and container "dig outs" are restricted due to limited terminal space. Customers are urged to continue to expedite the pickup of import containers and inform any COD requests at least four days before the start of vessel operations. While all the port employees have started to be vaccinated, the terminals continue to work with limited labor and split shifts (COVID-19 related). The demand for available labor affects all terminals turnaround time for truckers, inter terminal transfers, the number of daily appointments available for gate transactions and generates delays in vessels operations.

Due to terminal congestion, there can be switching of vessel terminal assignments. This must be kept in mind if doing over weight bookings that are supposed to be going on dock but end up in the wrong terminal or the UP off dock terminal. Hapag-Lloyd is currently shut out at all terminals facing extremely limited single empty return options and restricted dual transactions. Trucking continues to be heavily delayed due to lack of trucking power - generated by terminal congestion and COVID-19 - on all door and ramp intermodal moves.

The UP rail has limited the access to many US inland ramps due to capacity constraints and railcar shortages. This has created a serious backlog in all the on/off dock rail services ex SoCal to all main destinations and is generating delays of more than a week into some inland ramps.

Oakland Terminal Update:
Currently 12 ships (-7) at anchor or drifting in the San Francisco Bay area as of Friday March 26th. One of five berths at OICT remains unavailable due to new crane deployment. It is expected to be available beginning of May.
Labor demand remains high in the port due to increased imports and vessels diverting to Oakland as first port of call. Yard rehandling and restows on vessels due to change of rotation and additional empty lift out of LAX/LGB is creating further delays. Export receiving is strictly controlled causing pain points for truckers, however this is mainly due to vessel schedule integrity. All berths remain occupied.

New York Terminal Update:
Berth congestion is not currently an issue. Dwell times for import volumes continue to be higher than normal running at about an average of 6 days versus the normal average dwell of 4 days.
Empty container stocks continue on higher side as receiving restrictions at depots and terminals are impacting equipment flows and returns. Empty loader vessels are being employed wherever possible to evacuate surplus inventory.
Gate turn times for truckers continue to be above normal for all terminals and depots, and the port area is periodically impacted by traffic that exceeds on-facility ques and congests local roadways.

Savannah Terminal Update

Currently 10 ships (-10) at anchor as of March 26th. The river has not been closed due to fog in the last week reducing the number of ships at anchor. Wide bean vessels lead to scheduling conflicts and additional coordination with one vessel in the river at a time.

Labor has improved during last week as well. Exports remain two ships open at any given time per service. Empties are a main focus in getting off the port – whether by ship or rail.

Canadian Terminal and Rail Delays Update:

Terminals:

High yard utilization at all terminals in Vancouver as a result of high import volumes. Expected to last well into Q2. Vessel productivity and yard productivity continue to improve as a result of steady rail car supply. This resulted in increased fluidity on terminal. We continue to experience berth delays in VAN of 3 to 8 days. Prince Rupert continues to be a struggle as well.

Dwell time at the Port Terminals:

• Halifax – 3.5 Days*
• Montreal – 4.7 Days*
• Vancouver – 2.8 Days
• Prince Rupert – 3.0 Days*

Rail:
Car supply into Vancouver has improved and import dwells remain below average.

Dwell time at the Rail Terminals:

• Montreal – 3.5 Days*
  Vancouver – 1.2 Days*

Intermodal Operations:

Capacity limitation in certain markets due to import volume spikes and severe drivers’ shortage. Please find main markets, and estimate lead-time to secure capacity below (Note: Lead time refers to timeframe to secure truck power, it is not dwell time):

Market / Average 12-days+:
Los Angeles, CA (30 days +) - Long Beach, CA (30 days +) - Atlanta, GA (15 days) - Baltimore, MD (14 days) - Memphis, TN (21 days*) - New York, NY (12 days*) - Norfolk, VA (14 days) - Savannah, GA (15 days)

Markets / Average 7-days+:
Charleston, SC (10 days) - Charlotte, NC (8 days) – Columbus, OH (7 days) - Dallas, TX (7 days) – Houston, TX (9 days*) - Jacksonville, FL (7 days*) – Kansas City, MO (10 days) - Philadelphia, PA (8 days*) – Seattle, WA (7 days) – Tacoma, WA (7 days) - Miami/PT. Everglades, FL (7 days*) - Salt Lake City, UT (7 days*)

Markets / Average 4-days +:
Birmingham, AL - Boston, MA - Buffalo, NY - Chicago, IL - Cincinnati, OH - Council Bluff, IA – Denver, CO* - Greensboro, NC - Greer, SC - Huntsville, AL - Indianapolis, IN - Laredo, TX - Louisville, KY - Minneapolis, MN - Oakland, CA - Pittsburgh, PA - Portland, OR - Santa Teresa, NM - New Orleans, LA*

Chassis Pools:

Current chassis pool operations are improving in many markets. Below are the current locations where chassis inventory remains a concern. Shippers are urged to return containers to help improve the availability. Over 5000 chassis have been injected into various chassis pools across the US to keep up with the influx of imports. Repair vendors are working overtime and weekends to keep up with the requirements to provide safe and reliable assets.

• New York (USNYC) – Deficit on 40’ chassis due to surging demand and street dwell.
• Philadelphia (USPHL) – Constrained on 40’ chassis due to high demand.
• Chicago (USCHI) – Constrained on 20’ chassis, deficit on 40’ chassis due to surge in demand.
• Detroit (USDET) – Deficit on 40’/45’ chassis due to demand and street dwells.
• Dallas (USDAL) – Deficit on 40’ chassis due to demand.
• Kansas City (USMKC) – Constrained on 20’ chassis due to high demand and street dwell.
• Oakland (USOAK) – Constrained on 40’ chassis due to surge in demand.
• Los Angeles / Long Beach (USLAX/USLGB) – Pool of Pools seeing deficits on all chassis inventory in all terminal locations

Railway Operations:

Please Note: Current average dwell times for Hapag-Lloyd boxes at several terminals / ramps. Includes, MH, rail and truck moves.

• New York, NY - Average 7.4 days*
• MMR New York (Elizabeth Marine Terminal-Rail) – Average 5.0 days*
• Long Beach, CA – Average 10.1 days*
• Los Angeles, CA – Average 12.4 days*
• Charleston, SC – Average 3.6 days*
• Savannah, GA – Average 4.2 days*
• Norfolk, VA – Average 6.4 days
• Kansas City, MO – Average 7.6 days
• Chicago, IL - Average 5.8 days
• Memphis, TN – Average 4.4 days*
• Detroit, MI – Average 5.3 days