Import fee benchmark
Port congestion surcharge: how often it hits and what it costs
A surcharge added when congestion at a port or rail ramp slows container pickups.
The short answer. In our data, 1.1% of ocean container shipments into US ports were charged port congestion surcharge.
Shipments from July 2024 to June 2026. Updated October 22, 2026.
What is a port congestion surcharge?
A congestion surcharge is added by truckers, rail ramps or carriers when congestion slows pickups down: long gate lines, few appointments, or containers buried in the stack. It pays for the extra hours and extra trips a congested terminal costs them.
These surcharges come and go with conditions. Our trend data shows how common they became during the 2021 and 2022 congestion crisis and how far they have fallen since.
Port congestion surcharge by port
How often shipments at each published port were charged port congestion surcharge. Ports with too few importers are left out, and a dash means too few bills to publish a cost.
| Port or rail hub | How often | Median bill | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | under 0.5% | — | 964 |
| Long Beach | under 0.7% | — | 736 |
| Chicago | under 0.7% | — | 712 |
| Los Angeles | under 0.9% | — | 578 |
| Omaha | under 0.9% | — | 554 |
| Minneapolis / St. Paul | under 0.9% | — | 536 |
| San Juan | under 1.1% | — | 460 |
| New York / New Jersey | under 1.5% | — | 343 |
| Houston | under 2.4% | — | 211 |
| Savannah | under 3.4% | — | 145 |
| Seattle | under 4.1% | — | 123 |
| Port Everglades | under 5.3% | — | 94 |
| Tampa | under 5.7% | — | 87 |
| All ports in the data | 1.1% | 8,298 |
How to avoid port congestion surcharge
- Ask whether your drayage quote includes congestion charges, and on what trigger they apply.
- When terminals are congested, book appointments early and stay flexible on pickup time.
Questions
What is a port congestion surcharge?
A surcharge added when congestion at a port or rail ramp slows container pickups. A congestion surcharge is added by truckers, rail ramps or carriers when congestion slows pickups down: long gate lines, few appointments, or containers buried in the stack. It pays for the extra hours and extra trips a congested terminal costs them.
How often do importers pay port congestion surcharge?
In our data, 1.1% of ocean container shipments into US ports were charged port congestion surcharge at least once (95% range 0.9% to 1.4%).
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