US chemical supply chain company Quantix notified customers on 14 March that it will implement a one-time export rail congestion surcharge of $175 per railcar effective on 1 April.
Quantix, which operates terminals, warehouses, packing facilities and a fleet of trucks, pointed to record export volumes and supply chain disruptions affecting its US Gulf and east coast export facilities.
"The challenges imposed by ocean vessel congestion, port congestion and insufficient drayage availability have pushed our export facilities beyond their designed capabilities," the company said.
Quantix has been unable to load railcars in a timely manner because of a lack of space to store finished goods. "This is causing congestion in our rail yards and increasing our labor, fuel and switching costs," the company said.
Quantix plans to remove the surcharge "when the export shipping market stabilizes and product once again flows smoothly."
