Maersk’s September 2025 Freight Report: What Truckers Need to Know Right Now

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

🚛 Intro – Still Stuck in the Freight Storm

If you thought the freight chaos of 2021-2023 was behind us, Maersk’s September 2025 North America Market Update says otherwise. Supply chains are still jammed, ports are struggling, and cross-border delays are turning hour-long hauls into all-day headaches.

This isn’t just about ocean freight. If you’re in inland trucking, drayage, cross-border, or even running spot market loads, this affects your miles, your time, and your money.

Let’s break down what Maersk said — and what it really means for drivers out here grindin’ for every dollar.

📉 5 Big Problems Slowing Freight Down

1. Port Congestion Still Dragging on
Despite “post-pandemic” improvements, key U.S. ports like Savannah, New York/New Jersey, and Houston are backed up again. Container volume is climbing, but infrastructure upgrades haven’t kept up.

Average dwell time: 5–7 days

Chassis shortages still slowing pickups

Container discharges up 12% YOY at East Coast ports

Drivers who do port work are waiting longer than ever — with no detention pay in sight.

2. Rail Congestion Choking the Heartland
Major inland hubs like Chicago, Memphis, and Kansas City are running out of space. With rail lines clogged and containers piling up, trucking companies are forced into last-minute hauls.

Containers delayed 3–5 days post-arrival

Missed appointments = lost money

Intermodal freight shifting to truck, but at lower rates

3. Tariffs Are Back on the Radar
The U.S. is rolling out new tariffs on electric vehicle batteries, steel components, and electronics — most of which come from Asia. Importers are scrambling to route through Mexico or Canada to save money, which puts extra pressure on cross-border trucking.

Expect more Laredo and El Paso runs

But also more time at the border

Carriers may see higher volume but lower margins

4. Cross-Border Delays Heating Up
If you're hauling cross-border freight, buckle up. Maersk reports longer wait times at both U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders due to increased inspections, customs software delays, and staffing shortages.

Delays average 2–4 hours

Some loads are being rerouted entirely

More brokers offering “cheap and late” rather than fair and reliable

5. Ocean Freight Pricing Going Up Again
The big one — ocean spot rates from Asia to the U.S. West Coast are up nearly 18% this month, and rates to the East Coast are following. That puts financial pressure on shippers, who in turn cut corners on inland freight pay to offset rising costs.

Expect tighter trucking margins

Some shippers delaying inland deliveries to save money

Freight brokers getting “creative” with pay and terms

💭 What This Means for Truckers

Let’s keep it real:

If you’re doing port drayage, intermodal, or cross-border work, you’re being asked to do more for less — again.

Longer wait times, less detention

More last-minute loads

Less flexibility

Customers who won’t pay premium but expect white glove service

If you're in general freight, these delays are still rippling down to you. More congestion means fewer trucks available, which should raise rates — but with so many small fleets competing on price, that rate bump may never reach you.

🧠 Industry Perspective – What’s Broken, What’s Working

Who’s making it worse?

Shippers that pass off costs instead of fixing the problem

Customs and port authorities slow to modernize

Brokers who hide delays and hope drivers just “deal with it”

Who’s making it work?

Smart carriers building direct relationships with importers

Companies using AI dispatch and real-time tracking

Owner-operators who know how to negotiate and walk away from garbage loads

If you’ve got flexibility, visibility, and confidence — there’s still room to make money. But the “old way” ain’t workin’ like it used to.

🚛 Trucker POV – From the Cab to the Chaos

We hear it all the time:

“The load wasn’t ready, the port was backed up, now they want me to run 600 miles and deliver it tomorrow — for $1.78/mile? Nah.”

Maersk’s update confirms what drivers already know — you’re being blamed for delays caused by everyone but you.

Until planners, port managers, and policy-makers start listening to people behind the wheel, the congestion game will keep spinning.

💡 Bottom Line – You Gotta Adapt or Get Rolled Over

Maersk’s update isn’t just a logistics newsletter — it’s a warning: The freight world is still a mess, and if you’re not moving smart, you’re burning fuel for free.

Stay tight on your lanes

Know your worth

Avoid ports and rail if you’re not being paid to wait

Build shipper relationships — not just broker dependance

Use this chaos as leverage — not as an excuse to settle for crumbs.

✅ Call to Action

Tired of being a pawn in someone else’s broken system?
It’s time to start learning how to build income OFF the road — before the next slow season breaks you.

👉 Go to RetireFromTrucking.com
– and start building an exit plan powered by AI and online income.
👉 For daily trucking tips and tools, head over to LifeAsATrucker.com