24-06-2025
Ports Are Quiet Now, But Here's Why You Should Pay Attention
Nicolas Westgate, cofounder and CCO of Nodal Networks, is an engineer and entrepreneur delivering AI-driven ops insights to port terminals.
We only notice ports when shelves go bare, giant ships appear offshore or tariffs make headlines.
Ports have faced challenging years recently. Increasingly complex operations meet tougher demands, and disruptions become harder to manage. Consider this: One container is roughly the size of a standard 18-wheeler truck trailer. Now imagine a single ship unloading 22,000 containers, each needing processing within just a few days.
In April 2025, U.S. ports saw their second-highest import volumes recorded this year, driven by companies rushing to beat new tariff hikes. Yet, as tariffs took effect, imports at major hubs like the Port of Los Angeles dropped by 35% in just one week.
The ports look calm today, but that won't last. A wave of traffic is on its way. We can ride it without losing a container.
Why You Should Pay Attention
Nobody wants to recall memories of Covid-19. Yet, as philosopher George Santayana warned, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
In 2021, the Port of Savannah managed a 20% surge in container volumes by staggering vessel start times and rerouting ships across its terminals to keep yard use below critical limits.
During the pandemic, container dwell times at major ports, such as Los Angeles and Long Beach, increased significantly. Containers that typically cleared in three to four days were taking eight to 10 days or more. This created delays for everyone in the supply chain.
Chassis shortages and rail congestion, particularly in inland hubs like Chicago, led to container yards operating beyond optimal capacity. This congestion resulted in containers being stacked and dwell times doubling from pre-pandemic averages. Even when transportation was available, loading and unloading processes were delayed due to the need to reorganize container stacks. By early 2022, major ports experienced unprecedented backlogs, with over 100 container ships waiting offshore for berths.
This had two clear impacts:
• Higher Prices And Empty Shelves: When ports jam up, delays and extra fees show up in grocery, electronics and clothing bills. You pay more and wait longer for almost everything.
• Risk To Jobs And Local Economies: Ports support hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers, from longshore crews to truck drivers and retail staff. A bottleneck at the docks ripples through factories, warehouses and stores, putting those jobs at risk. To put that into context, in the 2012 West Coast labor stoppage, when LA/LB shut down, the U.S. lost about $1 billion per day. Even a partial slowdown today could cost hundreds of millions each day, money that comes out of business investment, worker pay and your own wallet.
In good times, ports are a resilience platform for regional and national economies. They're the nodes that connect ships, trucks, trains and planes. A gain of one hour in transport speed means nothing if you get stuck another hour waiting in a terminal.
Ports will be tested again in the months ahead. If they struggle, it will cost billions. If they rise to the challenge, two things could happen:
1. The U.S.'s reputation as a reliable trade partner strengthens. Global buyers and sellers will trust U.S. ports, enhancing trade relationships.
2. Homegrown investment and innovation will be stimulated. Successfully managing disruptions increases confidence among policymakers and investors, supporting infrastructure upgrades, modern technology and improved operational practices. This drives job creation, cleaner operations and a stronger, more resilient supply chain.
Adaptability: The New Imperative
To ride out the next surge, ports need both absorption (extra yard space, backup crews, spare equipment) and adaptability (staff shifts, reroutes, flexible hours). While absorption takes time and money, you can boost adaptability today—if you tackle people, processes and tech hurdles head-on.
Once you've seen one terminal, you've seen one terminal. Every port has its own quirks. These moves are general tactics and will have to be adapted to each operation's needs and constraints.
• Cross-train crews. Rotate operators between cranes, trucks and gates to redeploy labor instantly; just make sure you set clear safety rules and get crew or union buy-in.
• Lock in flexible shifts. Pay a small retainer to unions or temp agencies for standby workers; negotiate terms up front so you stay compliant and keep relations strong.
• Plan rapid yard clearance. Establish contingency agreements with rail carriers, major shippers and 3PLs to empty yards at short notice to be able to quickly free space fast when volumes spike. Balance any demurrage revenue against the risk of straining partnerships.
• Maintain equipment now. Schedule preventive service during slow periods so cranes, trucks and straddle carriers don't break down under pressure.
• Implement congestion-mitigation IT tools. Find tools that enable real-time yard simulations to spot bottlenecks and test staffing, stacking and routing plans before the next surge.
Each move leans on agility (fast decisions) and flexibility (modular resources). Ports have often relied on predictable seasonal cycles and long-range forecasts. Yet, tariff fluctuations and pandemics have shown how unpredictable major disruptive events can be. Focusing on immediate, practical adaptability measures is crucial for safely navigating the coming surge.
A quiet port is no guarantee of smooth sailing ahead. Leaders should use this time to train teams, secure flexible staffing, increase yard capacity and add smart tools. Our jobs, prices and economy depend on it.
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