US PORT/RAIL RAMP FREIGHT INDEX

PORT CONTAINER DRAY OPERATIONS OCEAN/DOMESTIC CONTAINER

RAIL RAMP OPERATIONS
NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL
Atlantic
Montreal
pert
Prince Ru

BRITISH
BIA
COLOM

ver
Vancou

West Inland
Pacific Rail Ramp Laredo
Corpus Christ
i

Brownsville

ELEVATED ONTARIO

Toronto

Philadelphia

NORMAL

East Inland
Rail Ramp

Gulf
Corpus Christi

AUG 2023 US PORT/RAIL RAMP TRUCKING DEMAND

PORT/RAIL RAMP DEMAND SEP 2023
PORT/RAIL RAMP DEMAND
AUG 2023 SEP 2023
10,000 10,000

5,000 5,000

0 0
East Inland Rail Atlantic Ocean Region East Inland Rail Atlantic Ocean Region
Pacific Ocean Region Gulf Ocean Region Pacific Ocean Region Gulf Ocean Region
West Inland Rail West Inland Rail

SUMMARY – OCTOBER, 2023

Port operations in all regions continue to run optimally
without any major interruptions. At this time, Shippers
should not have any issues with demurrage or ramp
storage as there is more than enough trucking capacity
to pull containers effectively. Terminal operations on the
US West Coast are the best they have been in years,
and terminal operations throughout the US as a whole
are in great shape.
Rail ramp operations have improved as well. Chicago
has normalized as most IPI freight effected from recent
port strike activity on the Canadian West Coast has
been processed. Ocean chassis equipment availability
can be improved, but with volumes at current levels
inventory is meeting demand.
There have been increased reports of capacity and
drivers exiting the market, and that is one of the items
Shippers should be mindful of. As trucking rates
continue to plummet, many trucking providers are
operating at a loss to maintain revenue streams. As
fuel, insurance, and liability costs continue to rise in
this low-rate environment, trucking capacity will exit at
a rate higher than new capacity entering the market.
Prior to exiting the market, financially struggling
trucking capacity will sacrifice staff, safety, security of
freight, and operational excellence. Obtaining cheap
rates in this environment will be easy, the concern
needs to be focused on how long those rates will be
sustainable.
 US PORT/RAIL RAMP FREIGHT INDEX
PACIFIC REGION – NORMAL PACIFIC OCEAN REGION - AUG 2023

3,000

2,000

Vessel Terminal Chassis Container Transload Outbound

Congestion Operations Availability Storage Availability Capacity 1,000

SEATAC 0
San Fran./Oakland, CA Portland, OR
Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA Seattle/Tacoma, WA
OAK
Vancouver, CAN

LA/LB
PACIFIC OCEAN REGION - SEP 2023
VANCOUVER 3,000

PRINCE RUPERT 2,000

OPPORTUNITY FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY – Consider going to RFP in Q4 and 1,000

adding carriers to hedge high potential of capacity exiting the market in 2024.
0
OPERATIONAL INTERRUPTION – Winter weather will start to affect transit, especially in San Fran./Oakland, CA Portland, OR
the higher elevations. Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA Seattle/Tacoma, WA
Vancouver, CAN

ATLANTIC REGION – NORMAL ATLANTIC OCEAN REGION - AUG 2023

3,000

2,000

Vessel Terminal Chassis Container Transload Outbound 1,000

Congestion Operations Availability Storage Availability Capacity
0

NY/NJ Wilmington, NC
Phil adelphia, PA
Sav annah, GA
Baltimore, MD
Boston, MA Norfolk, VA
Charleston, SC Jacks onville, FL
NORFOLK New York/New Jersey Miami/Ft. Lauderdal e, FL
Montreal, CAN

CHARLESTON
ATLANTIC OCEAN REGION - SEP 2023
SAVANNAH
3,000

JACKSONVILLE 2,000

1,000
MIAMI
0

MONTREAL Wilmington, NC
Phil adelphia, PA
Sav annah, GA
Baltimore, MD
Boston, MA Norfolk, VA
Charleston, SC Jacks onville, FL
New York/New Jersey Miami/Ft. Lauderdal e, FL
OPPORTUNITY FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY – Consider going to RFP in Q4 and Montreal, CAN

adding carriers to hedge high potential of capacity exiting the market in 2024.
OPERATIONAL INTERRUPTION – Some slight congestion reported in Savannah will
continue through the month but will taper off by EOM.

GULF REGION – NORMAL GULF OCEAN REGION - AUG 2023

3,000

2,000

Vessel Terminal Chassis Container Transload Outbound

Congestion Operations Availability Storage Availability Capacity 1,000

TAMPA 0

Houston, TX New Orleans, LA Tampa, FL Mobile, AL

MOBILE

NEW ORLEANS
GULF OCEAN REGION - SEP 2023

HOUSTON 3,000

OPPORTUNITY FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY – Consider going to RFP in Q4 and 2,000

adding carriers to hedge high potential of capacity exiting the market in 2024.
1,000
OPERATIONAL INTERRUPTION – Potential for some tropical weather interruption.
0

Houston, TX New Orleans, LA Tampa, FL Mobile, AL

LEVEL OF
CONCERN
Normal Elevated Severe
 US PORT/RAIL RAMP FREIGHT INDEX
WEST INLAND RAIL RAMP REGION – NORMAL WEST INLAND RAIL - AUG 2023

3,000

2,000

Ramp Ramp Chassis Container Transload Outbound 1,000

Congestion Operations Availability Storage Availability Capacity

0
SLC Omaha, NE Kansas City, MO
Denver, CO Phoenix/Tucson, AZ

Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX El Paso, TX

DENVER
Minneapol is/St. Paul, MN Sal t Lake City, UT

DALLAS
WEST INLAND RAIL - SEP 2023

OPPORTUNITY FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY – Book ocean container inland 3,000

bound freight to the rail ramps closer to end user.

2,000
OPERATIONAL INTERRUPTION – Winter weather will start to affect transit, especially in
the higher elevations. 1,000

0
Omaha, NE Kansas City, MO

Denver, CO Phoenix/Tucson, AZ

Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX El Paso, TX

Minneapol is/St. Paul, MN Sal t Lake City, UT

EAST INLAND RAIL RAMP REGION – ELEVATED EAST INLAND RAIL - AUG 2023

3,000

2,000

Ramp Ramp Chassis Container Transload Outbound 1,000

Congestion Operations Availability Storage Availability Capacity

0
CHICAGO Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH

Detroit, MI Indianapolis, IN Louisville, KY

MEMPHIS Memphis, TN Nashvi lle, TN Toronto, CAN

NASHVILLE EAST INLAND RAIL - SEP 2023

CHARLOTTE 3,000

2,000
ATLANTA

1,000
COLUMBUS
0
TORONTO Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH

Detroit, MI Indianapolis, IN Louisville, KY

OPPORTUNITY FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY – Book ocean container inland Memphis, TN Nashvi lle, TN Toronto, CAN

bound freight to the rail ramps closer to end user.

OPERATIONAL INTERRUPTION – Ocean chassis availability at ramps still a concern.

LEVEL OF
CONCERN
Normal Elevated Severe

ITS INSIDER ADVANTAGE FOR OCTOBER

We are sailing on smooth seas right now. Rates are low, capacity is plentiful, and operations for the most
part are in great shape. It is very rare in transportation to have this amount of time to focus on the future. Do
not be lulled into a false sense of security. Use this time to determine the health of your trucking capacity.
Review your network, find efficiency, and make changes to offset challenges endured in the post-pandemic
era. Reconsider how you book with ocean carriers and NVO’s and to where. Trucking providers, ocean
carriers, and partners in your supply chain have time to consult best paths forward in their respective fields–
take advantage of that. Rates are at the bottom now, so RFP activity in Q4 makes the most sense. In RFP,
don’t focus on the lowest rate but onboard and vet capacity that has a robust tech offering, creative chassis
and yard storage options, and creative design solutions.