The latest update to the official U.S. freight and supply-chain dataset, published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics on July 27, 2026, provides a snapshot of key logistics indicators across the country. The dataset, which is refreshed weekly, covers port queues, container movements, rail operations, trucking, fuel prices, labor, and other freight movement metrics.

Read also: Freight Market Tightens as Capacity Constraints Drive Rates Higher

Port Congestion and Vessel Activity

As of the most recent Tuesday afternoon snapshot, the number of containerships anchored off U.S. ports showed notable regional variation. On the West Coast, no vessels were recorded at anchor. The East Coast had ten containerships anchored, while the Gulf Coast reported zero. The total number of containerships awaiting berths at all U.S. container ports stood at ten. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach had no vessels awaiting berths, while the Port of Savannah had five, and all other ports combined accounted for five.

Earlier data from the same week showed a different picture: the East Coast had two anchored vessels, and the total awaiting berths across all U.S. ports was two, with Savannah reporting one and all other ports also reporting one. The dataset notes that these figures are a snapshot taken on Tuesday afternoons using live AIS data, and that the current week’s data is an estimate subject to revision.

Diesel Prices

The weighted average U.S. diesel sales price, based on a sample of approximately 350 retail outlets for the week ending Monday, was reported at $4.796 per gallon. This marks a decline from the previous week’s figure of $5.134 per gallon and from $5.313 per gallon in the week before that.

Rail Operations

Class I railroads reported a total of 256,117 non-intermodal carloads and 305,027 intermodal units. Containers on rail flat cars numbered 296,863, while trailers on rail flat cars totaled 8,164. Average train speeds varied by railroad: BNSF recorded 24.7 miles per hour, CN 23.6, CSX approximately 24.26, CPKC 21.6, NS 21.1, and UP 24.5. Average terminal dwell times also differed, with BNSF at 22.3 hours, CN at 16.66, CSX at 21.69, CPKC at approximately 20.88, NS at 22.5, and UP at 19.8. The number of rail cars online ranged from 38,568 for CN to 301,190 for UP.

Specific terminal dwell times for Class I railroads showed significant variation. For NS, dwell times ranged from 21 hours in Atlanta to 34.8 hours in Conway, Pennsylvania. CSX terminals saw dwell times from 12.58 hours in Chicago to 51.24 hours in Waycross, Georgia. CN terminals reported dwell times between 13.2 hours in Markham, Illinois, and 23.54 hours in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. CPKC terminals ranged from 4.38 hours in Laredo Yard, Texas, to 26.34 hours in Kansas City, Missouri. UP terminals recorded dwell times from 19.9 hours in Houston to 21.4 hours in Chicago. BNSF terminals showed dwell times from 18.9 hours in Memphis to 31.4 hours in Fort Worth, Texas.

Barge Rates

Downbound grain barge rates on the Mississippi River System showed declines across most locations compared to the prior week. The rate for the Twin Cities stretch was $45.43 per ton, down from $48.53. Mid-Mississippi fell to $37.40 per ton from $38.73. St. Louis dropped to $19.01 from $21.26. The Lower Illinois rate decreased to $31.03 from $31.84. Cincinnati fell to $23.16 from $28.43. Lower Ohio declined to $22.02 from $27.04. The Cairo-Memphis segment edged down to $13.15 per ton from $13.87.

Container Ship Capacity

The total capacity of containerships calling at U.S. ports was reported at 2,228,017 TEUs, slightly up from the prior week’s 2,215,914 TEUs. The dataset notes that this series is now based on CBP’s Vessel Management System data, which counts only vessels entering port for an official reason, typically to load or unload cargo, resulting in lower numbers compared to the previous AIS-based series.

https://www.indexbox.io/blog/us-freight-and-supply-chain-data-update-july-27-2026/