Bonded Drayage at the Port of Long Beach

Bonded drayage in Long Beach, run from Long Beach

Our bonded drayage Long Beach service moves containers out of Port of Long Beach terminals before U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released the cargo. We pull the box under our own bonded carrier authority, keep the seal intact and deliver it to the destination named on the in-bond, most often our customs-bonded warehouse a short drive from the port.

The Port of Long Beach handled roughly 9.9 million TEUs in 2025, and a share of every vessel's cargo is not ready for release when it discharges. Entries wait on missing documents, partner-agency reviews, classification questions or simply a slow supplier. For that freight, bonded trucking in Long Beach is the difference between paying terminal storage by the day and getting the container out while the broker finishes the work.

Because our dispatch, chassis and bonded warehouse are all in Long Beach, the in-bond leg is short and liability for this customs bonded transportation never changes hands. The same company accepts the container at the gate, carries it under its bond, reports arrival to CBP and receives it into bonded storage.

Where our Long Beach in-bond freight goes

Most Port of Long Beach in-bond moves fall into one of four patterns. The in-bond type is filed in CBP's ACE system before we dispatch.

How our bonded drayage Long Beach workflow runs

This is the sequence we follow for a typical in-bond pull from a Long Beach terminal into our bonded warehouse.

1. 01
   Intake and data check

   We collect the in-bond number and type, bill of lading, container and seal numbers, destination FIRMS code and last free day. We compare the destination on the in-bond to where the freight is actually going before anything else happens, because a wrong destination is the hardest error to fix once the box is moving.

2. 02
   Terminal availability check

   We confirm the container is discharged, that CBP's movement authorization shows at the terminal, and that line holds, freight charges and terminal fees are cleared. In-bond cargo still needs a terminal release just like cleared cargo.

3. 03
   Appointment and chassis

   We book the pickup appointment in the terminal's system and assign one of our own chassis: a 20' or 40' for standard boxes, or a triaxle for heavy containers that would exceed axle limits on a standard chassis.

4. 04
   Gate and seal verification

   At the out-gate the driver confirms the seal number matches the in-bond. If it does not, we stop and resolve it with the broker before leaving, since our bond becomes responsible for the contents as soon as we accept the container.

5. 05
   Direct delivery

   The container comes straight to our bonded warehouse or the facility named on the in-bond. In-bond freight does not stop at an unbonded yard on the way.

6. 06
   Arrival reported to CBP

   We report arrival in ACE with the destination FIRMS code within the two-business-day window in 19 CFR 18.1(j), and we send the broker confirmation so the warehouse entry can be filed.

7. 07
   Devan and empty return

   Once received, the container is unloaded, counted against the entry and the empty goes back to the ocean carrier, which starts to limit detention as soon as possible.

Port of Long Beach timing realities for in-bond pickups

In-bond moves at the Port of Long Beach run on the same terminal clock as any import. Free time at the terminal starts after discharge, appointments are required at most terminals, and appointment slots get tight around big vessel arrivals and peak season. Starting the in-bond paperwork after free time has ended is the most common reason importers pay demurrage on cargo that could have moved.

The in-bond adds two more clocks. CBP's 30-day delivery window in 19 CFR 18.1(i) is rarely a constraint for a cross-town move, but the 15-day window after arrival is. Once our arrival report posts, the broker has 15 calendar days to file the warehouse entry, export the goods or admit them to a foreign-trade zone before general order rules apply. We flag that date to the broker on every move.

Exam holds work differently. If CBP selects a container for examination, it moves where CBP directs, typically to a centralized examination station, and in-bond pickup waits until the exam is complete or CBP authorizes the movement.

Three Long Beach bonded drayage scenarios

These examples use hypothetical round numbers to show how in-bond freight Long Beach importers move typically plays out. They are illustrations, not quotes.

Why a Long Beach-based bonded carrier matters

• Short, simple in-bond leg. A cross-town move to our own facility leaves little room for the delays, diversions and seal events that cause irregular deliveries on long in-bond hauls.
• One bond from gate to shelf. We carry the cargo and store it, so there is no transfer between a carrier's custody and a warehouse operator's custody to document.
• Local terminal knowledge. Our dispatchers work Long Beach terminals every day and know how each one shows in-bond releases, holds and appointment availability.
• Company-owned chassis. Our own 20', 40' and triaxle chassis mean an in-bond pickup does not wait on a pool chassis on a busy day.
• Next steps under one roof. After release, the same freight can go to our Long Beach CFS, transloading, cross-docking or general warehousing without another pickup.

What we need for in-bond transportation in Long Beach

Status updates on every Long Beach in-bond move

In-bond freight has more parties watching it than a cleared container: the importer, the broker, often a forwarder, and CBP. We send each milestone to the contacts you name so nobody has to chase the truck.

• In-bond received and checked: destination, FIRMS code and seal number confirmed against the booking.
• Terminal status: container available, holds cleared or a specific hold that needs the broker's attention.
• Appointment booked: date and window, with the last free day alongside it.
• Out-gated: pickup time and verified seal number.
• Delivered and arrival reported: arrival time and confirmation that the ACE arrival posted, which starts the broker's 15-day window.
• Received and reconciled: piece and pallet counts against the in-bond, with any overage, shortage or damage noted and photographed.
• Empty returned: return date for the ocean carrier container, to help reconcile detention invoices.

Mistakes we see on Long Beach in-bond moves

• Filing the in-bond to the wrong FIRMS code. The cargo then cannot be delivered where it is going without an amendment or diversion. We check this at intake.
• Waiting for release until free time is gone. If an entry problem is visible a few days before the last free day, start the in-bond then. Read more on the last free day.
• Forgetting the 15-day clock after arrival. The warehouse entry, export or FTZ admission must follow within 15 calendar days of arrival.
• Booking a carrier that cannot haul bonded freight. The in-bond names the bonded carrier liable for the move. A trucker without its own custodial bond cannot legally carry the container, and a last-minute carrier change means amending the in-bond record.
• Treating exam cargo as in-bond cargo. Exam holds are resolved through CBP and the exam process first.

Bonded drayage across the harbor and beyond

We run the same service for cargo that discharges at the Port of Los Angeles; see bonded drayage from Los Angeles terminals for how cross-harbor in-bond moves work. For the rules and decision framework that apply anywhere, see our national bonded drayage service page.

Most in-bond freight we pull ends up in our Long Beach bonded warehouse, where it can be stored for up to five years from importation and withdrawn in partial lots. Cleared freight continues on our Long Beach drayage and trucking network.

Frequently asked questions