The average amount of time a cargo container remains at Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals before it leaves by rail or by truck remains high, according to new data released Sept. 20 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association.
The average container dwell time in August was a “record high for rail-bound cargo,” at 16.5 days. That’s a slight uptick from the average of 16.4 days in July, according to PMSA data.
Meanwhile, the average dwell time for cargo departing by truck averaged 5.1 days in August, dipping from July’s 5.6 day average.
About 24.1% of lingering containers leaving by truck surpassed five days and 71.9% of containers leaving by rail stayed more than five days.
“August container dwell time data infers local containers are getting picked up and making a dent in the backlog,” PMSA Manager of Government Affairs Jessica Alvarenga commented. “Meanwhile, containers leaving on rail were sitting on terminals for too long and negatively affected the goods flowing through the ports.”
