When the distribution center is full, freight can wait in one of four places: in the container at the terminal, in the container on a chassis in a trucker’s yard, in a trailer parked at or near the DC, or on pallets in an overflow warehouse. The first three keep someone else’s equipment busy and on the clock; overflow storage adds handling in and out but frees the container. Compare the daily cost of each against the number of days the freight will wait.
Peak season is not a single date, and at the Port of New York and New Jersey it has two humps. In RapidShips analysis of ten years of Port Authority monthly figures, loaded imports ran highest in August and October, and lowest in February.[1] When a DC is already near capacity, those months are when containers start arriving faster than doors and appointments can absorb them. This guide covers where that overflow can wait and how to plan for it.
In this guide
Key takeaways
- From 2016 to 2025, August was the busiest month for loaded imports in four of the ten years, October in three and July in two.
- Freight waiting in a container keeps the carrier’s equipment on the clock; freight on pallets in a warehouse does not.
- Overflow storage adds handling in and out, so it pays off when the wait is long or container clocks are expensive.
- Arrange overflow space before the busy months, not after the DC is already full.
When Imports Peak: Ten Years of Port Data
The Port Authority publishes monthly container volume for the Port of New York and New Jersey, split into loaded and empty imports and exports.[1] To see the seasonal pattern, we took loaded import TEUs for each full year from 2016 to 2025, compared each month with that year’s monthly average, and averaged the result over the ten years. The table shows that analysis; the underlying monthly figures are on our Port Newark data page.
| Month | Average vs. the year’s monthly average | Years it was the busiest month |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2.4% below | 0 |
| February | 8.0% below | 0 |
| March | 5.3% below | 1 |
| April | 4.6% below | 0 |
| May | 1.9% above | 0 |
| June | 1.5% below | 0 |
| July | 6.0% above | 2 |
| August | 9.2% above | 4 |
| September | 1.8% above | 0 |
| October | 7.4% above | 3 |
| November | 0.4% below | 0 |
| December | 4.0% below | 0 |
Two things stand out. First, the swings are real but not enormous: the average August carried about 9% more loaded imports than an average month, and February about 8% fewer. For a DC that runs near capacity all year, a 9% surge is enough to create a backlog. Second, the busiest month moves around. In 2025, for example, July was the busiest month for loaded imports, with 420,131 TEUs.[1] Plan for a peak window from July through October rather than a single week.
These figures describe past years at the whole port, not your own inbound plan. Your purchase orders and vessel schedules are the better guide for your freight; the port data shows when everyone else’s freight is competing for the same trucks, chassis and doors. More port figures are in the Freight Data section.
Four Places Freight Can Wait
When the DC cannot take a container yet, the freight waits in one of these four places. Each one keeps a different clock running.
| Where it waits | What keeps running | Works for | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the container at the terminal | Terminal free time, then demurrage | A delay of a day or two inside free time | Demurrage once free time ends; terminal appointment availability in busy months |
| In the container on a chassis in a trucker’s yard | Carrier detention or per diem on the container, chassis rental, yard storage | Short waits when the trucker has yard space | Several clocks at once; extra moves in and out of the yard |
| In a trailer at or near the DC | Trailer rental or carrier trailer detention, yard space | Freight already in domestic trailers waiting for a door | Yard space runs out in peak; trailers are needed back |
| On pallets in an overflow warehouse | Storage by the pallet and the period, plus handling in and out | Waits of more than a few days, or freight that must be sorted or relabeled anyway | An extra handling step; confirm space early in busy months |
The Federal Maritime Commission describes demurrage as accruing when a container exceeds free time on a marine terminal, and detention as charges for extended use of intermodal equipment.[2] Its rules treat both as financial incentives to keep freight moving,[3] which is exactly why parking freight in a container is the expensive way to wait. Demurrage vs. detention explains how the charges work and how to check an invoice, and chassis split fees and pre-pulls covers yard storage on a chassis.
How to Choose: Count Days and Clocks
The cheapest place to wait depends on two numbers: how many days the freight will wait, and what each option costs per day once its free period ends. A simple way to compare:
- Estimate the wait. When will the DC have a door and floor space for this freight? Use the real next available receiving appointment, not the hoped-for one.
- List the clocks for staying in the container. Remaining terminal free time, then demurrage; detention or per diem once the box is out; chassis rental; yard storage.
- Price the overflow warehouse. Unloading, storage for the expected days and loading out, plus any palletizing or labels the DC requires.
- Compare the totals for the expected wait, and for a wait twice as long. Peak-season delays tend to stretch, and the option that is cheapest for two days is often not cheapest for ten.
Our guide to short-term freight storage vs. demurrage walks through this comparison with a worked example. The Freight Cost Calculator lists which parts of a storage job drive the price, without guessing at rates.
A Peak-Season Planning Calendar
Overflow space is easiest to arrange before the busy months, when docks and yards still have room. Using the port pattern above:
- Before July: Compare your inbound purchase orders with DC receiving capacity week by week. Line up an overflow warehouse and agree on handling, storage and release terms in writing.
- July and August: The first peak. Book DC receiving appointments as early as you can, and route containers that will wait more than a few days to overflow storage instead of leaving them in the box.
- September: Volume historically eases. Use the gap to draw overflow inventory down and reset yard and trailer space.
- October: The second peak. Repeat the August plan, and watch for retail delivery windows that make late freight harder to place; retail compliance relabeling and freight rejected by a receiver cover what happens when freight misses a requirement.
What an Overflow Warehouse Needs From You
Overflow storage goes smoothly when the warehouse knows what is coming and how it will leave. Have this ready before the first container arrives:
- Container numbers, sizes and expected arrival dates, plus the last free day for each.
- Whether each container is floor-loaded or palletized, and the carton and pallet counts from the packing list.
- Whether pallets can be stacked, and any height or weight limits.
- How freight should be stored: by purchase order, SKU or destination.
- The DC’s receiving requirements: pallet type and height, labels and paperwork.
- Who books the outbound trucks and DC appointments, and how release instructions will be sent.
- The storage terms, the liability limit and your cargo insurance; choosing a cross-dock or transload warehouse lists the questions to ask.
Use this tool: send one clear request
The Freight Scope Builder collects these details in one freight request summary and lists what is still missing. The Pallet Calculator estimates how many pallet positions the overflow will need.
Storing Overflow Safely
Peak season is when warehouses are tempted to stack higher and squeeze aisles. OSHA requires that stored material not create a hazard, and that material stored in tiers be stacked, blocked, interlocked and limited in height so it is stable and secure against sliding or collapse.[4] Freight that is double-stacked to save space can also crush cartons that were never built to carry weight. Ask how overflow freight will be stored, and whether your pallets are allowed to stack. How a damaged pallet gets rebuilt covers what happens when stacking goes wrong, and the freight receiving checklist shows how freight should be checked in on arrival.
Where RapidShips Fits
RapidShips runs a dock at 25A Cotters Lane, East Brunswick, NJ, about 30 road miles from Port Newark, with 3 dock doors and dock operations 24/7 by appointment. For peak-season overflow we unload containers, floor-loaded or palletized, hold freight in short-term storage, and load it out to your trucker when the DC is ready, with rework, cross-docking or relabeling if the receiver needs it. We are not a drayage carrier or a freight broker: your trucker delivers and picks up. Space is confirmed job by job, so the earlier you call in peak season, the better.
To plan overflow for the coming weeks, call 800-376-2808 or send your container list through the Freight Scope Builder. If a container is already running out of free time, start with Freight Emergency Help.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is peak season at Port Newark?
Where can freight wait when a distribution center is full?
How do I decide where overflow freight should wait?
How early should I arrange peak-season overflow storage?
Can freight in overflow storage be relabeled or sorted for the DC?
Sources
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, "Port of New York and New Jersey: Facts and Figures," accessed October 2026.
- Federal Maritime Commission, "Detention and Demurrage," accessed October 2026.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, "46 CFR § 545.5 – Unjust and unreasonable practices with respect to demurrage and detention," accessed October 2026.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, "29 CFR § 1910.176 – Handling materials – general," accessed October 2026.
This guide is general operational information, not legal or financial advice. The seasonal figures are RapidShips analysis of Port Authority data and describe past years, not a forecast. Free time, storage terms and charges depend on your contracts; confirm them before you plan.