TL;DR
U.S. ports are beginning to show signs of congestion after the U.S.–China tariff pause, with impacts already visible at NY/NJ and early delays on the West Coast. Steamship lines are warning shippers to prepare for rising detention and demurrage (D&D) fees. From now through August, freight invoice scrutiny and audit readiness will be critical to control costs.
Early Congestion Returns: What’s Happening at U.S. Ports?
Just days after the U.S. paused reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods, container vessels resumed transpacific movements, and the result is already being felt on the ground.
At the Port of New York and New Jersey (NYNJ), our team has confirmed reports of mounting container volume, slower gate turnarounds, and signs of restricted terminal availability. On the West Coast, several terminals are quietly flagging LFD (Last Free Day) issues and warning drayage companies of delays in container release.
Recent media coverage reinforces what we’re hearing from the ground:
- gCaptain: West Coast Ports Brace for Cargo Comeback
- The Loadstar: Congestion Fear as Transpacific Surge Builds
- 10News: Busiest U.S. Ports Facing Tariff-Driven Slowdowns
Journalists and supply chain experts are drawing comparisons to early COVID-era bottlenecks, when D&D fees exploded and shippers faced weeks of downstream cost exposure due to congested terminals and unreleased containers.
Carriers Sound the Alarm: Prepare for D&D Fees
Over the past week, two major steamship lines (SSLs) issued direct notices to customers (including several of ours) warning that D&D-related complications are expected to increase sharply. These carriers have provided a two-week advance window to brace for the ripple effects of increased container flow, shifting berthing schedules, and restricted port terminal capacity.
Key warnings included:
- Delays in vessel discharge due to equipment imbalances and berthing bottlenecks
- Limited container availability and appointment times
- LFD resets with shortened free time windows
In other words: shippers must be ready to face and actively manage an increase in detention and demurrage charges.
What’s Different Now? Why Freight Invoices Are at Risk
Port operations are changing hour by hour. With container release dates, return appointments, and terminal hours in flux, even the most experienced logistics and accounting teams can quickly fall behind on tracking and reconciliation.
What this means for shippers:
- Manual invoice reviews will not catch every D&D overcharge
- Human errors will spike as new schedules are posted or revised daily
- Disputes will become more complex when documentation is lacking or unclear
If you're managing high-volume shipments, now is not the time to rely on fragmented systems or spreadsheets.
This is especially true as D&D disputes often have a limited resolution window, and inaccurate freight invoices can quietly drain budgets by tens of thousands of dollars per month.
How to Avoid Demurrage and Detention Fees in 2025
Shippers who learned the hard way during COVID now understand a critical truth: every container fee can (and should) be managed, verified, and often mitigated.
To stay ahead, you need:
✅ Real-time visibility into LFDs and terminal timelines
✅ A system that automatically flags incorrect charges and delays
✅ A trusted freight audit partner who understands how ports behave under stress
You want to be setting up the right foundation now, before errors, penalties, and disputes escalate.
Why BlueCargo Is Built for This Moment
BlueCargo was publicly released and launched during a crisis, forged in the chaos of COVID congestion and D&D fee surges. That’s why we’re built differently.
Our legacy freight audit platform is trusted by importers and exporters across industries to protect against container fee risks and D&Ds, when operations are unpredictable.
Here’s how we help:
- Freight audit software for container fees, including detention and demurrage: Smart, automated, and accurate
- Accurate LFD + port schedule tracking: Never miss a deadline or dispute window
- Root-cause analysis and benchmarking: See where errors come from, and how to prevent them
- Dedicated experts who understand port terminal behavior and SSL billing logic
"If the last “free Chinese vessel” arrived three days ago, your risk period has officially begun."
This Is the Moment to Act: Your Two-Week Window Starts Now
The best-prepared companies during COVID weren’t the biggest, they were the fastest to react and the most strategic in protecting their freight spend.
Today, you have that same opportunity!
📉 Don’t let this wave of congestion silently drain your margin.
📊 Set up a proven D&D audit solution in days — not months.
💬 Talk to our team now and be ready for what’s coming next.
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Or book a DEMO.
