The Port of Los Angeles is struggling with rail dwell times above nine days for containers staged for inland rail moves, Supply Chain Dive reported from a Nov. 13 briefing. Executive Director Gene Seroka said that level should be zero and flagged the backlog as a fix the port must prioritize.
Backlog size and rail carriers
Seroka said about 9,500 containers are set for rail transport. Roughly 75% fall under BNSF Railway, and about half of that share is stuck at the Fenix Terminal. He described steps taken in the prior two weeks to increase westbound rail cars, locomotive power, and crewing so boxes can be pulled faster.
Record volumes press the dock and yard
Dwell has run high for months. Supply Chain Dive noted Pacific Merchant Shipping Association data showing 7.19 days of rail dwell in September, with times since climbing past nine days. Seroka tied the pressure to sustained consumer spending, inventory replenishment, trade-policy shifts, and shipping disruptions.
The port moved close to 5 million TEUs from June through October, its strongest five-month run, per a port release cited by Supply Chain Dive. October alone topped 1 million TEUs, a monthly record and the second-highest month in port history. Seroka said current yard inventory reflects freight moved across that surge. Rail-bound volume rose about 25% in the window while loadings were up 17% versus the same period last year, yet total inbound handling still outpaces rail takeaway.
What longer dwell means for freight plans
Extended rail waits add uncertainty for shippers planning inland legs. Supply Chain Dive quoted Whisk Freight Brokerage noting that when rail dwell climbs, some shippers switch to truck or transload near the port to keep inland freight on schedule. Seroka acknowledged the gap: “This is an issue that we’ve got to fix,” while noting the cargo wave driving the spike.