The U.S. supply chain is once again feeling the squeeze, and this time, the pressure is hitting hard at the ports — especially across the West Coast and Texas. If you’re moving freight through these areas, here’s what you need to know and why it matters to your business.
West Coast Ports: Traffic Jam Meets Trade War
Los Angeles & Long Beach
The ports of LA and Long Beach are dealing with more than just traffic. Import volumes are down significantly — in some cases by more than a third — thanks to the latest round of tariffs. When you suddenly slap 10% to 50% duties on a big chunk of what we import, it doesn’t just hurt China or the EU… it slams everyone downstream.
Dockworkers are getting fewer hours. Truckers are sitting idle. And the Inland Empire — the region where a ton of freight gets routed after it hits the dock — is seeing logistics activity slow to a crawl. If you’re shipping through these ports, delays and labor shortages are probably already hitting your timeline.
Oakland
Meanwhile in Oakland, they’re juggling berth maintenance and broken-down cranes. Three cranes are down, which means fewer containers get moved — and slower turnarounds for everyone else. Delivery times for imports are dragging out as long as four days, and that’s assuming nothing else breaks.
Seattle-Tacoma
Up north, the Seattle-Tacoma complex is holding it together better than most. Vessel wait times are short, rail service is flowing, and dwell times are under control for now. But no port is an island — what happens in LA and Oakland still ripples through the system.
Texas Ports: Expanding, But Not Fast Enough
Port Houston
Houston’s doing the right things long term — they’ve secured over $300 million in infrastructure improvements and are expanding the ship channel. But the short-term reality isn’t so rosy. Import dwell times are high, yard space is tight, and starting July 1, they’re rolling out extra fees for refrigerated containers to free up space.
Another wrench in the gears? The recent tariffs. Houston takes in a lot of imports from China, and with trade policy flipping on its head again, it could push more freight elsewhere or jam things up worse.
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is playing the long game with major upgrades to the ship channel and a new bridge project. Once complete, it’ll handle larger vessels and more cargo. But that’s a “someday” benefit — right now, capacity is tight and shippers need alternatives that work today.
U.S.-Mexico Border Ports
Texas border ports like Laredo and Brownsville are also seeing issues. More inspections and tighter customs rules tied to trade changes are causing backups. If you’re relying on cross-border freight, expect slower clearances and higher costs while everyone adjusts.
What This Means for Your Freight Strategy
Bottom line: whether it’s West Coast congestion or Texas growing pains, these delays aren’t just headlines — they’re real problems that will affect delivery timelines, inventory levels, and costs. Businesses need to be proactive:
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Audit your routings. Are you using the right port for your cargo type and timing?
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Diversify your lanes. If LA’s jammed, maybe go east or through the Gulf.
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Talk to your partners. If your broker or 3PL isn’t helping you pivot, you’re on your own.
We’re in a season of unpredictable policy and infrastructure imbalance — and the ones who win are the ones who stay ahead of it.
If you want help making sense of all this, Firehouse Freight is ready to dig in. We don’t just move freight. We solve the mess.