Ports, rail hubs and surcharges
Are port congestion surcharges coming back?
The short answer
Freight Benchmarks found that 1.1% of US import container shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026 paid a port congestion surcharge, against 18.9% of shipments first invoiced in 2022, when the median surcharge was $270. In 2026 (through June) the share was 0.8%. They come back when terminals and ramps back up, so ask what triggers them before you book.
Cite this figure: Shipments that paid a congestion surcharge
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Shipments that paid a congestion surcharge: 1.1%. Share of 8,298 US import container shipments across all published ports; 95% range 0.9% to 1.4%. Shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/answers/are-congestion-surcharges-coming-back/#fig-national-congestion-incidence-pct (CC BY 4.0)
Cite this figure: Share of US import container shipments first invoiced in 2022 that paid a port congestion surcharge
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Share of US import container shipments first invoiced in 2022 that paid a port congestion surcharge: 18.9%. Share of 1,693 US import container shipments across all ports in the data. Shipments first invoiced in 2022; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/answers/are-congestion-surcharges-coming-back/#fig-trend-2022-congestion (CC BY 4.0)
Cite this figure: Median port congestion surcharge per shipment, shipments first invoiced in 2022
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Median port congestion surcharge per shipment, shipments first invoiced in 2022: $270. Per shipment, among paying shipments across all ports in the data. Shipments first invoiced in 2022; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/answers/are-congestion-surcharges-coming-back/#fig-trend-2022-congestion-median-usd (CC BY 4.0)
Cite this figure: Share of US import container shipments first invoiced in 2026 (through June) that paid a port congestion surcharge
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Share of US import container shipments first invoiced in 2026 (through June) that paid a port congestion surcharge: 0.8%. Share of 1,663 US import container shipments across all ports in the data. Shipments first invoiced in 2026, through June 2026; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/answers/are-congestion-surcharges-coming-back/#fig-trend-latest-congestion (CC BY 4.0)
What a congestion surcharge pays for
When a port or rail ramp backs up, trucks wait longer in gate lines, appointments run short and containers get buried in the stack. Truckers, ramps and carriers add a port congestion surcharge to cover the extra hours and the extra trips. Unlike demurrage, it isn’t tied to your container’s free time: it reflects what the congestion costs the party moving the box.
What the invoices show
The table below shows the share of US import container shipments that paid a congestion surcharge, by the year the shipment was first invoiced, with the median surcharge in years that had enough bills to publish one. Each year is weighted so no single importer dominates it, and the latest year may be partial. For comparison, 5.0% of shipments first invoiced in 2021 paid one and 18.9% of those first invoiced in 2022, against 1.1% across the current window. The trends page shows demurrage and the other trended fees the same way.
What brings them back
Congestion surcharges follow the conditions that cause congestion, not the calendar. The ones to watch are the same ones that drove them before: import volumes surging faster than terminals can clear them, for example when importers rush cargo ahead of a tariff change; long dwell times at terminals and rail ramps; short supply of chassis or trucking appointments; and disruptions such as labor actions or storms that close gates. When several arrive together, surcharges tend to follow.
How to keep them off your bill
A surcharge you agreed to in advance is a cost; one you didn’t is a dispute. Before you book, ask whether the drayage rate includes congestion charges, what triggers one, how it is calculated, whether there is a cap, and how you will be told it applies. In peak season, book appointments early and keep some flexibility on delivery times. And if your port’s delay-fee share starts climbing, take it as a cue to ask about congestion terms.
| Year | Port congestion surcharge: how often | Port congestion surcharge: median bill | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5.0% | $175 | 1,593 |
| 2022 | 18.9% | $270 | 1,693 |
| 2023 | 8.3% | $220 | 3,780 |
| 2024 | 0.2% | — | 4,545 |
| 2025 | 1.7% | — | 4,101 |
| 2026 through June 2026 | 0.8% | — | 1,663 |
What to do
- Ask whether your drayage quote includes congestion charges, and if not, what triggers one, how it is calculated and whether there is a cap.
- Ask for notice: a trucker or ramp should tell you when a congestion charge is in effect before it is billed.
- In peak season, book pickup appointments early and keep some flexibility on pickup and delivery times.
- Check the share of shipments paying delay fees at your port after each monthly refresh; it is a useful signal when ports back up.
- If a surcharge appears that wasn’t in your terms, ask for the basis in writing before you pay.
Questions
What is a port congestion surcharge?
A charge that truckers, rail ramps or carriers add when congestion slows container pickups, to cover the extra hours and trips. Freight Benchmarks found that 1.1% of US import container shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026 paid one.
How common were congestion surcharges in 2022?
In Freight Benchmarks' invoice data, 18.9% of shipments first invoiced in 2022 paid a port congestion surcharge, and the median surcharge was $270 per shipment when charged.
Can a trucker add a congestion surcharge that wasn't in the quote?
Only if the quote or its terms allow it. Ask before you book whether congestion charges apply, what triggers them and how they are calculated, and get the answer in writing.
Is a congestion surcharge the same as demurrage?
No. Demurrage is the terminal's or carrier's daily charge for a container left past its free time. A congestion surcharge is added by a trucker, ramp or carrier for the extra time congestion costs it, and can apply even when the container is picked up within its free time.
Sources
- Freight Benchmarks: import fees by year since 2021
- Freight Benchmarks methodology: how trends are calculated
- Freight Benchmarks figures: Anonymized line-item forwarder invoices billed to US importers, contributed through the Freight Benchmarks data partner program, in which every partner is a licensed US freight forwarder and customs broker. Aggregates only. See the methodology.
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