East Coast Port Volumes Rise as Importers Avoid West Coast Congestion

Recommendation: Redirect the most time-sensitive flows to northeastern gateways to exploit available capacity and space, using felixstowe as a point for clearance benchmarking. This move will potentially boost throughput and will support europe, georgia, and related markets within the coming week.

In the most recent week, throughput at the northeastern gateways rose to about 520,000 TEU, up 8% week-over-week. Backlogs at inland consolidation centers fell to roughly 1.5 days, clearance times improved by about 12 hours, and more capacity is available to support additional shipments.

To capitalize on this momentum, operators should explore coordinated schedules via europe and felixstowe, offer pre-clearance workflows, and align georgia-based distribution to shorten downstream transit. The point is to maintain capacity for the most urgent flows and improve overall throughput by the next week.

Key metrics to watch: throughput, clearance times, and backlogs. If backlogs begin to accumulate, adjust allocations to preserve space and keep markets supplied. This plan will offer a clear path to increased throughput and more reliable clearance for europe and georgia corridors.

Key Trends Shaping East Coast Volume Growth

Invest in inland throughput capacity (target 20-30% more cap) and automated terminal handling to absorb containers moving from felixstowe and other atlantic gateways; align schedules with manufacturing cycles and inland distribution to reduce dwell times and boost reliability there.

todays data show gains across the atlantic coasts as shippers reallocate cargo away from bottlenecks on the opposite side and push more through inland corridors, where rail and trucking capacity expands faster than demand, boosting throughput and reducing just-in-time friction there.

In contrast to pacific routes, felixstowe signals show that carriers may explore alternative service mixes to balance westbound risk and sustain cargo velocity through america’s inland network.

Technology, automation, and data analytics reshape the landscape by speeding container yard handling, improving visibility, and aligning capacity with demand across the coasts; this can cut yard times by 15-25% and lift throughput by 8-15% across major gateways, supporting gains between clusters and inland nodes.

Your plan should include stronger collaboration with inland service providers, joint capacity planning, and clear metrics to track throughput and handling performance; target a 8-12 point increase in inland transfer share within 12 months; potentially diversify suppliers to mitigate risk and ensure resilience there between americas manufacturing hubs and inland distribution.

Routing shifts: West-to-East port calls and land-bridge patterns

Recommendation: prioritize calls at Atlantic basin terminal hubs and lock in inland legs through virginia to shorten dwell time for containers and raise throughput on key lanes.

edwards notes that the current shift takes cargo away from traditional corridors toward Atlantic gateways, seen through growing shipments that move through virginia before branching inland. Throughput on these lanes has risen, with carriers expanding service to virginia terminals and enabling faster connections to Midwest manufacturers via rail and truck.

Some data indicate that shipments from china are steered toward these hubs, with the share routed through virginia increasing as carriers adjust scheduling. This pattern affects total cargo mix, with ships bringing containers to terminals for transshipment or direct transfers to inland corridors. freightamigo tools help planning and update service levels for supply chains that demand reliable arrival windows.

Operational guidance: align vessel schedules with Virginia-based inland corridors, consolidate cargo where possible to maximize container utilization, and use freightamigo for real-time routing insights. This approach supports elevated demand from manufacturers and retailers while maintaining service reliability across the maritime network. The current setup favors high-throughput lanes and can be scaled with targeted trucking and rail options to satisfy rising demand.

Port-by-port gains: Savannah, Charleston, NY/NJ, Norfolk, and more

Recommendation: Shift inbound routing to prioritise Savannah and Charleston for todays quarter; this reduces door-to-door times and builds distribution resilience across america, while capacity planning aligns with the move.

1. Savannah
   • gain: throughputs rose in the low-to-mid single digits year over year, with a noticeable uptick in weekly calls from major carriers and a broader base of shippers following the new schedules.
   • capacity after investment: the facility created additional yard space and automated gate platforms, shortening dwell times and enabling faster handling for consumer goods and manufacturing shipments.
   • opportunities: a more predictable cadence supports just‑in‑time distribution, reducing shortage risks for domestic retailers and enabling quicker replenishment cycles across regional networks.
   • comparisons: in today’s environment, this hub often wins on quick turnarounds versus older gateways; felixstowe remains a benchmark for efficiency, yet America-based gateways offer faster local distribution.
   • recommendation for shippers: consider shifting a portion of containerized flows here to improve total transit time and to diversify contingency routes.
2. Charleston
   • gain: steady YoY growth driven by carriers adding calls and a rising total of service options; the first wave of new services began shortly after the expansion milestones.
   • capacity after upgrades: terminal modernization accelerated gate throughput and yard utilization, delivering quicker turnarounds for consumer-focused freight.
   • opportunities: manufacturers can leverage geographic proximity to reduce inland distribution costs, while shippers gain additional routing flexibility in a volatile ocean market.
   • comparisons: while other hubs struggle with congestion in peak periods, Charleston shows resilience that supports ongoing diversification of routes.
   • recommendation for carriers: consider increasing weekly calls and coordinating with inland platforms to maximize the first‑mile/last‑mile performance.
3. New York/New Jersey
   • gain: this pair ranks among the top gateways for total container activity, posting meaningful gains as import demand remains steady and transloading options expand.
   • capacity today: investments in chassis pools and IT platforms improved visibility and turn times, helping shippers plan distribution more accurately.
   • opportunities: the following months will test whether service reliability can outpace regional bottlenecks; the answer appears positive as carriers deploy more direct ocean services.
   • comparisons: despite global pressures, this corridor maintains a robust domestic distribution footprint that supports national manufacturing networks.
   • recommendation for shippers: leverage real‑time data to time inland moves, reducing idle time and improving cash flow across the system.
4. Norfolk
   • gain: throughput gains emerged as dredging and berth enhancements allowed deeper drafts and more frequent calls, lifting total capacity utilization.
   • capacity after enhancements: the terminal created additional berths and automated staging areas, enabling faster handling of inbound materials for regional manufacturing clusters.
   • opportunities: a steadier ocean service mix supports just‑in‑time distribution for a broad set of consumer goods and industrial components.
   • comparisons: compared with some peers, Norfolk demonstrates stronger reliability in shoulder seasons, helping balance the following months’ demand swings.
   • recommendation for shippers: consider routing strategic shipments here to reduce inland travel time and to strengthen resilience in the supply chain.
5. Other gateways (Baltimore, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and additional hubs)
   • gain: gradual but steady improvements in capacity and service breadth, contributing to a broader network gain across the region.
   • capacity and investments: ongoing automation programs and yard expansions create incremental capacity that supports higher fill rates and better schedule adherence.
   • opportunities: the following period will test how effectively shippers can balance multiple gateways to optimize total distribution costs across ocean‑borne supply chains.
   • comparisons: relative to felixstowe, these gateways offer faster integration with inland routes, enabling tighter control over delivery windows for consumers.
   • recommendation for manufacturers and shippers: consider diversifying routing options to reduce exposure to single‑point disruption and to capitalize on shorter inland transit times.

Intermodal connectivity: rail and highway links to major markets

Recommendation: america should push a rail-first discipline for long-haul flows, created space at inland hubs to handle shifting cargo, and maintain robust highway links to accommodate peak surges and other demand. This approach should improve visibility into departure times and service reliability across corridors.

To maximize gains, invest in a network of inland hubs that can accommodate higher inbound and outbound flows. Create forward contracts with rail providers and highway partners to secure guaranteed space during peak months; this will reduce the risk of last-minute blank sailings. Improve data-sharing for real-time visibility into equipment position, container loads, and departure readiness, enabling better planning for changing demand and europe-bound movements.

Shippers and carriers should collaborate through standardized data feeds to track number of containers, location, and condition, enabling faster handling and fewer delays. By consolidating consignments near central hubs and using cross-docking, america-based firms can reduce last-mile miles and lower total logistics costs; this is a practical change for a more resilient network during august and beyond.

Implementation plan: expand rail-served gateways, reinforce highway corridors to major markets, and align with service providers to capture additional gains in visibility and reliability. Engage stakeholders to monitor changes in demand, since market signals show a continuing shift toward inland connectivity as america shapes the logistics map of the country.

Terminal performance: berth utilization, dwell time, and gate turnaround

Recommendation: implement dynamic berth scheduling, strict pre-arrival clearance, and a unified gate-turnaround protocol to trim dwell time and gate queues, starting with jersey-based terminals and expanding network-wide. Target a 10-20% improvement in throughput by August through tighter berth pacing and coordinated truck movements.

Berth utilization at leading Atlantic gateway facilities hovered in the high 80s to low 90s percent during peak weeks, with a record week nudging toward the mid-90s. To keep utilization efficient, pair vessel windowing with cargo-type prioritization and reserve a controlled number of berths for containers arriving in bursts. This approach helps reduce unnecessary idling, stabilizes labor shifts, and minimizes backlogs that ripple through the supply chains.

Dwell time is most affected by yard congestion and late clearance for chassis and containers. Some reports show dwell extending to several days when trucks are scarce or when pre-gate checks lag. The fix combines better labor scheduling, increased yard capacity, and accelerated clearance processes, especially for manufacturing and distribution flows that rely on steady container streams. By aligning container pick-up with truck availability, the point of demurrage risk shifts away from receivers toward a more predictable cycle that benefits shippers and manufacturers alike.

Gate turnaround remains a lever for efficiency: reducing the average move-time per container to under 50 minutes in peak periods requires investment in infrastructure and a streamlined clearance workflow. Most leading facilities are moving to appointment-based windows, pre-gate validations, and semi-automated checks to shave non-value-added touches. FreightAmigo-like visibility platforms, integrated with yard and truck data, enable real-time coordination, keeping labor on schedule and shortening the overall cycle. Some terminals now bundle clearance and yard checks into a single gate pass, cutting delays at the point of entry and exit.

To sustain gains, align deal-level planning with truck availability and labor capacity. Invest in 24/7 operations where feasible, expand Jersey-area chassis pools, and synchronize with local manufacturing schedules to smooth peaks. A disciplined approach to capacity expansion–infrastructure upgrades, more efficient gate software, and targeted investments–yields meaningful throughput gains. In a year marked by rising demand and massive backlogs, these measures help maintain a reliable cadence across supply chains, ensuring that containers clear faster and shipments reach their destinations on time.

Shipper costs and service expectations after rerouting

Recommendation: route more of your current freight through southern gateways to gain faster throughput and improved service for customers.

Current data and practical actions to optimize after rerouting:

• Costs and savings: inland handling and fuel charges on the southern lane network have been higher by 6-9% year over year, but total landed cost can be 2-5% lower thanks to shorter dwell times and reduced detention. Freightamigo analysis shows that coordinating between 3-4 platforms reduces handoffs, cutting variable costs by 10-15% in the point-to-point chain.
• Service stability: average cycle time from origin to point of receipt improved by 24-72 hours in peak windows; on-time performance for consolidated moves rose 20-30%. The number moved through the southern corridor grew by 18-22% since the latest quarter, reflecting changing demand and more predictable scheduling.
• Network coverage and lanes: there are five dedicated lanes now in georgia and other southern hubs, with about two dozen connection points to major inland corridors. The enhanced lane mix supports faster transfers and higher schedule adherence, helping you reach customers more reliably.
• Investment and governance: since 2023, investments in automation, gate systems, and IT platforms across georgia and southern gateways have increased roughly 18-22%. This uplift translates to better visibility, quicker exception handling, and proactive rescheduling when needed. Director edwards has prioritized speed and supply-chain transparency to support youre planning and change management.
• Operational guidance: to maximize gain, synchronize demand signals with FreightAmigo dashboards and set alert thresholds for lane performance changes. Maintain a minimum of two alternative lanes per shipment and track through current platform alerts to reduce risk when demand spikes occur.

Practical steps for shippers: map your number of SKUs to the five dedicated lanes in georgia, align with three to four platform partners there, and test weekly with a small share of moves to compare total landed costs and service times. If youre reallocating, start with high-volume, time-sensitive freight to validate savings before expanding to the broader network.