North American Ports in Turmoil – How Weather and Rail Issues Are Clogging the Supply Chain

Picture this: towering stacks of containers stranded at ports, ships bobbing aimlessly offshore, and railcars nowhere to be found. It’s not a dystopian movie—it’s the reality hitting North American ports right now. Severe weather and rail failures are wreaking havoc from coast to coast, and the ripple effects are shaking up intermodal operations everywhere. Let’s break down the chaos, port by port, and figure out how to stay afloat.

Canadian Ports: A Cold, Hard Mess

Up north, the situation’s icy—and not just because it’s Canada. At Halifax Port, brutal weather has vessels stuck in limbo, while rail dwell times average a staggering 18 days (some even hitting 30!). Over at Saint John Port, a shortage of rail vehicles means imports are sitting pretty for 11.1 days, compounded by crane and IT woes—though a fix is on the horizon in 3-5 days. Montreal Port is bouncing back with a lifted export embargo and solid vessel productivity, but 5.1-day rail delays and winter restrictions are keeping things tense. And in the west, Vancouver and Prince Rupert Ports are drowning in delays—5+ days to unload, with outbound containers waiting 20-30 days. Yikes!

U.S. Ports: Coast-to-Coast Congestion

Stateside, it’s a mixed bag of frustration. Savannah and Norfolk Ports are clocking 5+ day dwell times, with Norfolk battling stormy slowdowns. New York-New Jersey Port is juggling 2-5 day delays and equipment shortages—nothing catastrophic, but enough to test your patience. Down in the Gulf Coast, Miami and Houston are holding steady at 2-5 days (Houston imports at 4), keeping disruptions minimal. Meanwhile, Los Angeles-Long Beach Port is slogging through 3-7 day unloading delays, and Seattle-Tacoma and Oakland Ports aren’t far behind at 2-5 days, with Tacoma Husky Terminal stuck at 6.

Mexico: Road Rage at the Ports

South of the border, Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo are feeling the heat. Road issues are the culprits here, forcing shippers to scramble and adjust cargo plans on the fly. Flexibility is the name of the game!

Why This Matters—and What You Can Do

These delays aren’t just numbers—they’re missed deadlines, frustrated customers, and supply chain headaches. But here’s the silver lining: you don’t have to face it alone. Whether it’s rerouting shipments, finding workarounds, or just getting the latest scoop, our team’s ready to jump in and help.

Take Action Now

Don’t let these port pileups sink your business. Drop us a line at [email protected] and let’s tackle this together. From real-time updates to custom logistics solutions, we’ve got the tools to keep you moving.

Reach out today—because in this shipping storm, every second counts!