Maersk announces temporary closure of import bookings destined for Fort Worth, TX

Maersk will unfortunately have to stop accepting new import bookings destined for Fort Worth, Texas with immediate effect. With average container dwell time in Fort Worth now sitting at 30 days, up from 6 days in May, it has become necessary that we restrict booking acceptance and begin to meter flows from our main gateways in the Pacific Southwest and the Gulf until the backlog is cleared. The main rail ramps and container yards in the Dallas-Fort Worth have been experiencing severe congestion and/or shortage of chassis which has severely limited our options to serve this market.

For containers waiting to be railed to Fort Worth in Los Angeles/Long Beach, Maersk encourages you to consider diverting to a local delivery or holding the container in temporary storage until you are able to receive the same in Fort Worth. Maersk can assist in providing off-dock storage solutions in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area and will work with terminal operators to make containers available for local pick up if you are able to arrange your own transportation. Naturally, Maersk will also continue to work with its rail partners to move as many containers as possible to Fort Worth as space becomes available at the rail ramp.

For new bookings, consider routing the cargo to Los Angeles/Long Beach or Houston for local delivery or, alternatively, diverting to other distribution centers across the U.S. until the situation in Fort Worth improves. Maersk expects congestion will persist for several weeks so take the necessary precautions when planning your cargo flows.

Maersk also requests your continued support in using the chassis in your possession to pick up full containers at the Fort Worth ramp as they become accessible. Currently a bare chassis will be required to pick up full loads that are grounded, but the situation remains fluid, and dual transactions may be reinstated once space becomes available. Ensure your trucker verifies status with the railroad before dispatching their trucks.