FourKites Data:
- In the last 7 days, there has been an overall increase of 13% in dwell time for the five major West Coast Ports. Notably, the port of Tacoma, Oakland and Seattle have experienced the most significant week-over-week impact, with dwell time increasing by 87%, 43% and 24%, respectively.
- However, dwell times are still below their March peak and overall import volumes remain lower than last year.
- Since the start of 2023, the proportion of US imports arriving at the West Coast has dropped below 35%. In May 2023, only 34% of US import shipments were received at West Coast ports, a decrease from 41% in the previous year.
- FourKites customers have observed a further decline in West Coast import volume in the last few months. Specifically, at LA & Long Beach, the average shipment volume over a 28-day period has declined 18% and 17%, respectively, when compared to the levels observed at the beginning of the year.
- In June 2023, the ports of LA & Long Beach experienced a decrease in shipment volume, with a decline of 11% and 14%, respectively, compared to the end of May 2023.
Commentary from Tom Gregorchik, Vice President of Industry Strategy at FourKites
Will the work stoppage at the port(s) have an impact on consumers? What about manufacturers?
The work stoppage at the ports will impact manufacturer’s production schedules, distribution, and ultimately fulfilling orders to end consumers. Those in the electronics and apparel industries in particular will need to keep a close eye on how the labor dispute progresses to ensure they don’t have disruptions when importing for the upcoming holiday season.
What does it mean for the busy summer season?
As the busy season approaches in the summer, manufacturers need to be more diligent in tracking shipments to ensure a synchronised supply chain and even have contingency plans to hedge bets on different routes and transportation methods to mitigate risk.
