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Aug 25, 2026

US Ship Queue Up 50% to 6, Savannah Now One-Third of the Count

The US container ship queue rose 50% on the week to 6 ships per MARAD, while Savannah's portion fell from three-quarters to one-third. All three major complexes hold a Flowing import-friction read.

Numbers as of Aug 25, 2026 pull

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The US container ship queue (ships awaiting berth, per MARAD) rose 50% on the week to 6 ships, still running 54% below the five-year median. Savannah's portion of that queue fell from three of four ships last week to two of six this week, as the complex's own count eased 33% to 2 ships. LA/Long Beach, NY/NJ and Savannah all hold a Flowing import-friction read.

Ships awaiting berth, All US container ports (vessels)
vessels
Chart as of Aug 25, 2026. View live chart →
  • Savannah ships awaiting berth (MARAD): 2 ships, down 33% week over week from 3 ships last week, running 78% below the five-year median and at Savannah's trailing-12-month normal of 2 ships.
  • LA/Long Beach ships awaiting berth (MARAD): 1 ship, 50% below the five-year median and at the complex's trailing-12-month normal of 1 ship. West Coast ships at anchor (MARAD) also stand at 1 ship, 67% below the five-year median.
  • East Coast ships at anchor (MARAD): 4 ships, flat on the week, running 64% below the five-year median. Gulf Coast ships at anchor stand at 1 ship, 50% below the five-year median.
  • Truck planning-time index (BTS): LA/Long Beach at 2.19 (trailing-12-month normal 4.07) and NY/NJ at 2.37 (trailing-12-month normal 3.95), both running well below their respective normals heading into the peak-season window.
  • Loaded imports (latest available monthly, port authorities): LA/Long Beach 917,583 TEU (trailing-12-month normal 831,412 TEU), NY/NJ 388,842 TEU (normal 372,973 TEU) and Savannah 240,445 TEU (normal 231,586 TEU), each near its respective normal.

Per the Northwest Seaport Alliance (Aug 20, 2026), July 2026 full imports at the NWSA fell 11.6% vs July 2025, with total volume of 239,220 TEU, down 4.2% year over year. NWSA noted that YTD 2025 volumes included pull-forward cargo ahead of anticipated tariffs, which shapes the year-over-year comparison.

Monthly loaded-import TEU figures are the latest available from the port authorities. The series typically lags the current week by several weeks.

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