An LA port congestion API returns Los Angeles–Long Beach activity versus a 90-day baseline — not vessel wait time. On FreightPulse that is GET /api/v1/port-congestion?port=USLAX with header X-API-Key. UN/LOCODE accepts USLAX or US LAX.
The dataset lags about 6–7 days (IMF PortWatch / UN Global Platform AIS). Official docs sample dated 2026-08-14 prints congestion moderate and ratio_vs_baseline 0.85. Free is 100 calls/mo, no card, 5 rpm. Basic is $49/mo (1,000 calls, 30 rpm, 7-day trial on paid plans). MCP: mcp.freightpulsehq.com/mcp. Docs: /docs (panel /v1/port-congestion).
Request: official USLAX
curl -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/json" \
"https://freightpulsehq.com/api/v1/port-congestion?port=USLAX"Response: official docs sample (2026-08-14)
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"results": [
{
"port": "Los Angeles-Long Beach",
"locode": "US LAX",
"country": "United States",
"congestion": "moderate",
"as_of": "2026-08-14",
"metrics": {
"recent_avg_portcalls_per_day": 8.7,
"baseline_avg_portcalls_per_day": 10.2,
"ratio_vs_baseline": 0.85
}
}
],
"meta": {
"source": "IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org) - UN Global Platform AIS data",
"data_lag_days": "~6-7 (daily updates, not real-time)",
"methodology": "congestion level is an approximation: last 7 days' avg port calls vs 90-day baseline for the same port. Does not measure vessel wait/anchorage time."
}
}
}Read metrics.ratio_vs_baseline for charts. Do not invent anchorage hours. Diesel is a sibling path: GET /api/v1/fuel-prices.
Go live
1. Register — Free 100 calls/mo. Basic $49/mo.
2. Copy X-API-Key.
3. GET /api/v1/port-congestion with port=USLAX.
4. Render ratio_vs_baseline and as_of.