Container Dwell Time on a Downward Trend for First Time Since December 2021

September 2022

Contact: Natasha Villa

nvilla@pmsaship.com

Following nearly a year of trending upward, container dwell time at San Pedro Bay ports was finally down during the month of September. Containers transported by truck and headed to local destinations remained on terminals for an average of 4.2 days in September, down from 5.1 days the month before. Containers headed out on rail remained on terminals for an average of 15.5 days.

While 15.5 days is an unsustainably long time, it is down from 16.5 days observed through the month of August. The number of containers left on terminals for more than five days also decreased in September. 15.8% of local containers exceeded five days, down from 24.1% the month before. 66.3% of rail-bound containers exceeded five days, down from 71.9% the month before.

"September was the first month since December 2021 in which dwell time, for both local and rail-bound containers, was down from the month before. Container dwell time is a reliable metric to identify efficiency in the supply chain,” said Jessica Alvarenga, Manager of Government Affairs for the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. “It is encouraging to see dwell time finally declining and efficiency improving.”