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Sep 15, 2026

Gulf Coast Anchor Count Doubles to 2, US Queue Flat at 10

All three tracked complexes at Flowing. Gulf Coast ships at anchor doubled week over week to 2, still 50% below its five-year median. The US ships-awaiting-berth total holds flat at 10 ships, 70% below the five-year median.

Numbers as of Sep 15, 2026 pull

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All three tracked complexes, LA/Long Beach, NY/NJ and Savannah, hold at Flowing, with the US ships-awaiting-berth total flat at 10 ships and 70% below the five-year median per MARAD and the Marine Exchange. The Gulf Coast ships-at-anchor count doubled week over week to 2 ships (MARAD), the largest week-over-week move in the digest, though it remains 50% below the five-year median.

Ships awaiting berth, All US container ports (vessels)
vessels
Chart as of Sep 15, 2026. View live chart →
  • Gulf Coast ships at anchor: 2 ships, up 100% week over week from 1 ship (MARAD). Still 50% below the five-year median. The doubling is the top percentage move in the digest this week; at 2 ships the absolute level is not a congestion signal.
  • East Coast ships at anchor: 7 ships, down 22% week over week (MARAD). Now 71% below the five-year median. The count eased on the week during peak season.
  • Savannah ships awaiting berth: 2 ships (MARAD and Marine Exchange), flat on the week, near Savannah's trailing-12-month normal of 2 ships and 85% below the five-year median. Friction read: Flowing.
  • LA/Long Beach ships awaiting berth: 1 ship (MARAD and Marine Exchange), at its trailing-12-month normal of 1 ship and at the five-year median. Truck planning-time index 2.19 (BTS), below its trailing-12-month normal of 4.07. Friction read: Flowing.
  • NY/NJ truck planning-time index: 2.37 (BTS), below its trailing-12-month normal of 3.95. No public ships-awaiting-berth series for NY/NJ. Friction read: Flowing.
  • West Coast ships at anchor: 1 ship (MARAD), 50% below the five-year median.

Latest available loaded imports (monthly figures, landing weeks after the reported month): LA/Long Beach 917,583 TEU, near its trailing-12-month normal of 831,412 TEU (port authority); NY/NJ 388,842 TEU, near its trailing-12-month normal of 372,973 TEU (port authority); Savannah 240,445 TEU, near its trailing-12-month normal of 231,586 TEU (port authority).

Per the Northwest Seaport Alliance's Aug. 20, 2026 release, NWSA YTD July full imports declined 13.7% and July 2026 full imports fell 11.6% year over year, with YTD total container volume reaching 1,672,744 TEU, down 11.3%.

Data note: Vessel dwell at berth (BTS) is an archived series through mid-2023 and carries no current reading; monthly loaded import TEU figures are the latest available and land weeks after the reported month.

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