In brief: Import containers headed for rail sat an average of 7.19 days at Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals in September, more than twice the 3.18 days for boxes picked up by trucks, the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association said.
Implications:
Inland transit: Boxes moving inland by rail are spending about four more days at the port than trucked ones.
Rising waits: Rail waits have grown two months in a row while both ports handle record volumes.
Extra gates: Long Beach terminals are adding evening and Saturday gates for six weeks from late October, giving trucked boxes more pickup windows.
The News
Import containers headed for rail spent an average of 7.19 days at Los Angeles and Long Beach marine terminals in September, up from 6.75 days in August, the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association said. Boxes picked up by trucks sat 3.18 days, up from 2.95. PMSA, which represents the terminal operators, said rail remains the area of greatest pressure.
The waits grew while both ports had the busiest months in their history. Los Angeles handled 1,042,652 TEUs with loaded imports up 19% from a year earlier, and Long Beach handled 997,177 TEUs with loaded imports up 31.3%. Much of that load fell on rail: at Long Beach’s Total Terminals International, rail moves hit a monthly record of 59,410, nearly half the terminal’s volume.
Port leaders tied the surge to cargo moved from other routes. Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka pointed to problems on the Suez and Panama Canal routes, where the canal has cut its daily Neopanamax slots to save water. Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba cited high diesel costs, the canal limits and progress toward a new US-China trade deal. Our coverage of the canal’s draft cuts has more on that shift.
Why It Matters
The delay sits at the rail link, so it falls mostly on importers that move boxes inland by train, at a time when more cargo is being routed through Southern California.
Two speeds: A rail box now waits about four days longer at the port than a trucked one, and rail waits in August were about 1.8 days longer than the 4.98 days of August 2025.
New routing: Seroka said shipping lines, 3PLs and manufacturers are “taking even more of their traditional allocations” through Los Angeles. The port said about 5% more cargo is being booked to it at origin.
Who’s Exposed
Importers using inland rail: Boxes bound for inland rail ramps spend the extra four days at the port before the train trip starts.
Retailers restocking for the holidays: Seroka named inventory replenishment as one driver of September’s record.
Drayage near Terminal Island: Caltrans closes the Vincent Thomas Bridge for about 16 months from Nov 7, taking away a direct route for trucks serving the terminals there. Long Beach set its extra gates to keep cargo moving during the closure.
Last Time
Rail waits were worse two years ago. In September 2024, rail-bound boxes sat 9.25 days, roughly double of June’s level, per PMSA, while trucked boxes sat 3.21 days, close to today’s 3.18.
Room for Disagreement
The peak may already be passing. NRF’s Global Port Tracker expects US imports to fall 1% from a year earlier in November after an 8.5% rise in October. Jonathan Gold, NRF’s vice president for supply chain and customs policy, said “we’re likely past the busiest part of the year.” Seroka expects volume to “probably stay a little bit more elevated than normal.”
What’s Next
Late October: Long Beach terminals open extra evening and Saturday gates for six weeks, except Thanksgiving week.
Nov 7: The Vincent Thomas Bridge closes until about March 2028.
Mid-November: PMSA reports October dwell times.
