Shippers with extra volumes into the port of New York-New Jersey are faced with an exceptionally tight market for spot drayage capacity, forcing rates up to new highs, according to drayage rate tracker Drayage.com.
The Federal Maritime Commission will take a deep look into the detention and demurrage practices in Southern California and New York and New Jersey, requiring ocean carriers and maritime terminal operators to answer questions about their policies related to importers and exporters.
Approval of the Water Resources Development Act this year includes authorization to begin spending down the more than $9 billion balance in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
Norfolk Southern has shut the gates on containers and trailers entering its 63rd Street terminal in Chicago to five Northeast locations due to a crush of volume, likely sending the loads to full truckload.
The NY-NJ rail increase is being felt most in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where APM Terminals and Maher Terminals operate facilities and where rail lifts are up 8.4 percent.
The ports of Baltimore, Maryland, and Brunswick, Georgia, have reported a sharp uptick in roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) cargo since June as consumer demand returns and dealers restock vehicle inventories.
While cargo flow through New York–New Jersey is mostly fluid, tightening chassis supply and warehouse capacity are a growing concern for both carriers and shippers as volumes increase.
The FMC also urged ocean carriers to get more involved in local stakeholder groups in the Port of New York-New Jersey in order to help facilitate “double moves” by drayage companies.