Herculean efforts to keep cargo moving over the past few years have left a big imprint on U.S. cargo flows, port and real estate data show.
Shippers, seeking reliability in their supply chains since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, have taken major steps to reconfigure their logistics networks. Many diverted cargo over the years, fleeing congestion at large gateways or the risk of labor disruptions at West Coast ports. Others are simply moving closer to their customers, using ports and opening facilities near fast-growing population hubs to lower logistics costs.
Dozens of ports nationwide benefited from this combination of trends. But where exactly did the cargo go? And will the trends stick? Curious for answers, we asked a few analysts and examined data to find out.
Here’s what we learned.
