UPDATE: 10/18/21—BNSF has announced that the temporary hold has been extended through October 22, 2021.


BNSF Hobart has halted rail moves for two weeks—effective September 24 until October 8—from Chicago to the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

There will be “no receiving for two weeks, effective on September 24, 2021 for ramp and door moves returning to Logistics Park Chicago, including other inland origins which transit through this facility. Projected embargo end date is Friday, October 8, 2021. As a result, during this time, no rail billing will be issued from the following origin locations to Long Beach: Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Louisville, Minneapolis,” according to Hamburg Sud’s recent advisory.

What this means for exports

“This action will severely curtail intermodal access to one of the United States’ most critical export ports, further isolating Midwestern exporters from their global markets. Mohawk Global’s strong domestic trucking network and ability to transload containers in all major U.S. ports, allows us to support our clients in finding alternative routings when they need them the most,” says Anthony Pagnotto, Vice President at Mohawk Global.

If you have questions on how this may impact your shipments or what alternative routing options are available, please reach out to your Mohawk Global representative.

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