Port of Long Beach logistics, Southern California markets and nationwide trucking.
Get a quotePort and Freight Logistics for Importers
Fewer handoffs between the vessel and your customer, and fewer charges that come from waiting.
Logistics for importers using Los Angeles and Long Beach
Logistics for importers is the physical work that turns an arriving ocean container into sellable inventory at the right place: pickup at the terminal, any bonded movement, unloading and handling, storage and delivery. Importers moving freight through the San Pedro Bay ports usually juggle several providers for that work, such as a trucker, a warehouse, a CFS and a long-haul carrier, and each handoff is a chance for delay and extra charges.
We put those steps with one team based in Long Beach, close to both the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles. We work alongside your customs broker and forwarder, who handle the filings and the ocean booking, and we handle the freight from the terminal gate to the receiving dock.
What different importers need from us
Importers come to us at different stages, and the service mix changes with size and complexity.
| Importer profile | Typical challenge | Where we usually help |
|---|---|---|
| First-time or occasional importer | No existing U.S. logistics setup; unfamiliar with free time, holds and appointments | Drayage, unloading and delivery, plus guidance on what to have ready before arrival |
| Growing brand shipping a few containers a month | Floor-loaded cartons, retailer labeling rules, inventory spread across channels | Unloading, palletizing, relabeling, warehousing and LTL or FTL delivery |
| Mid-size importer with several DCs | Freight for many destinations arriving in the same containers | Transloading and cross-docking near the port, outbound load building |
| High-duty or re-export importer | Large duty bills, uncertain sell-through, goods that may leave the U.S. | Bonded drayage and bonded warehousing to defer duty until withdrawal |
| Importer with a forwarder-led supply chain | Wants a dependable U.S. operator without changing forwarders | Destination drayage, CFS and storage coordinated with the forwarder |
Common importer problems and how we handle them
| Problem | Why it happens | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Containers sitting at the terminal past free time | Late release, no appointment, or the receiver is not ready | Daily status checks, early appointments and pre-pulls before the last free day |
| Entry not ready when the vessel arrives | Missing documents, classification questions or agency holds | Bonded drayage to our customs-bonded warehouse while your broker resolves it |
| Floor-loaded containers that need palletizing | Suppliers load cartons on the floor to maximize cube | Container unloading with palletizing, labeling and sorting |
| Freight going to many destinations | One container holds orders for several customers or DCs | Transloading and cross-docking into outbound loads |
| Inventory to hold near the port | Sales timing does not match vessel arrivals | Warehousing with WMS, barcoding and inventory tracking |
| Detention bills from slow empty returns | Containers left at receivers or sent far inland | Unload near the port and return empties quickly |
| Multi-supplier orders arriving together | Consolidated containers with many purchase orders | CFS deconsolidation and routing by PO |
Import freight services that protect landed cost
Landed cost is the full cost of getting a product to your shelf: purchase price, ocean freight, duty and fees, and every U.S.-side charge. Landed cost control has two halves. Importers control duty mostly through classification and sourcing with their broker. The U.S.-side charges are where small slips multiply, because demurrage, detention, chassis, waiting time and storage are all charged by the day.
Our import freight services are built around keeping those clocks short. We plan the path for each container before it arrives, pick up with margin before the last free day, unload close to the port so empties return quickly, and give you one status thread so decisions get made early. A day of yard storage is usually cheaper than a day of demurrage, and a bonded move is usually cheaper than a week of terminal charges while paperwork is fixed. We make those calls with you, container by container.
Importer drayage and importer warehousing near the port
Importer drayage is where most U.S.-side delays start. We pull containers on our own 20-foot, 40-foot and triaxle chassis, so we do not wait on pool equipment, and we cover both San Pedro Bay ports so vessel diversions do not change your provider. See Long Beach drayage for how pickups run.
Importer warehousing near the port gives you a buffer between arrival and demand. We receive by barcode, track inventory by SKU and purchase order in our warehouse management system, and release orders to FTL, LTL or local delivery. Value-added work such as relabeling, sorting and freight reconfiguration happens in the same building, so freight is touched as few times as possible.
Getting started as an importer
- 01Tell us about your flow
Share typical container volume, origins, load types, destinations, and whether you need storage or handling. One recent bill of lading and packing list help.
- 02Introduce your broker and forwarder
We set up communication with the customs broker who files your entries and the forwarder who books your freight, so release status and arrival notices reach us early.
- 03Agree on the standard path
We set default handling for your freight, such as direct delivery, transload or warehouse, and the exceptions that trigger a pre-pull or bonded move.
- 04Run the first containers
We track release, book appointments, pull, handle and deliver, with status updates at each step, then adjust the plan after the first arrivals.
Logistics mistakes importers can avoid
- Booking drayage after the vessel arrives. Appointments and chassis are easier to get when the trucker knows at sailing.
- Letting the receiver set the pickup date. If the receiver cannot take freight before the last free day, pre-pull or store instead of waiting at the terminal.
- Not sharing weights and load types. Heavy and floor-loaded containers need different equipment and labor.
- Treating every container the same. Some loads should go direct, others should be transloaded or held; decide per container.
- Paying demurrage and detention invoices without checking them. Federal rules at 46 CFR Part 541 set required invoice contents and dispute windows, so review each invoice.
Importing through Los Angeles or Long Beach?
Tell us what is on the water and where it needs to go. For the full process from ISF to final delivery, read our guide to importing through Los Angeles and Long Beach, or see how our import logistics service fits together.
Request a quoteFrequently asked questions
Do you handle customs clearance?
No. Customs entries are filed by a licensed customs broker. We work alongside your broker and handle the physical movement, bonded transportation and bonded storage.
Can you handle both Los Angeles and Long Beach containers?
Yes. We serve both San Pedro Bay ports from our Long Beach operation.
I'm a first-time importer. Can you help?
Yes. We handle the physical side and can tell you what details we need before arrival. You will also need a customs broker and a customs bond, which your broker can arrange.
Can I defer duty by storing goods in your bonded warehouse?
Yes. Goods entered into a customs-bonded warehouse can be stored for up to five years from importation, and duty is paid only on what you withdraw for U.S. consumption. Your broker files the warehouse entry and withdrawals.
Do I need to use all of your services?
No. Many importers use us for drayage only, or for bonded storage or transloading, and keep other providers for the rest.
What information do you need before my containers arrive?
Bill of lading and container numbers, vessel and ETA, actual cargo weights, whether freight is floor-loaded or palletized, your customs broker's contact, and where each container or purchase order needs to go. The earlier we have it, the more options we have for appointments and chassis.
How do you help importers reduce demurrage and detention?
We track release and the last free day for every container, pick up with margin, pre-pull or move in bond when the receiver or the entry is not ready, and unload near the port so empties go back quickly.
Can you ship to retailers and e-commerce fulfillment centers?
Yes. We palletize, label and sort freight to receiver requirements and deliver by FTL or LTL nationwide, with cross-border service to Canada and Mexico.