Port of Long Beach logistics, Southern California markets and nationwide trucking.
Get a quoteImport Logistics Through the Port of Los Angeles
One U.S.-side team for Port of Los Angeles imports, serving San Pedro, Wilmington and Terminal Island from our operation across the harbor in Long Beach.
Import logistics for Los Angeles port cargo
Our import logistics for Los Angeles containers covers everything on the U.S. side after a vessel berths at the Port of Los Angeles: release tracking, terminal pickup, any in-bond move, unloading and handling, storage and delivery. The port handled more than 10.2 million TEUs in 2025, and it has ranked as America's busiest seaport for more than two decades; and its terminals stretch along the San Pedro and Wilmington waterfronts and onto Terminal Island.
We serve those terminals from our operation in Long Beach, across the harbor. For importers and forwarders, that means the same team handles a container whether it lands in Los Angeles or Long Beach, and a vessel moved from one port to the other only changes the route.
Port of Los Angeles geography for importers
The Port of Los Angeles is spread across three distinct areas. Which one your terminal is in affects San Pedro container pickup routing, the truck route, the drive time to our facility and where empties are likely to go back.
| Area | Where it is | What it means for pickup |
|---|---|---|
| San Pedro | The western side of the harbor, along the main channel | Trucks typically reach the terminals from the Harbor Freeway (I-110) or cross to Terminal Island on the Vincent Thomas Bridge (SR 47) |
| Wilmington | The northern side of the harbor, around the inner harbor channels | Closest of the LA terminals to the I-110 and the industrial areas of Carson and Compton |
| Terminal Island | A man-made island between the two ports, shared by Los Angeles and Long Beach | Some LA terminals sit a short drive from Long Beach terminals; cross-harbor dual transactions are practical here |
Serving Los Angeles terminals from across the harbor
The two ports share one bay, and the trip between our Long Beach facility and the Los Angeles terminals is short compared with the drive in from the Inland Empire or downtown Los Angeles. Trucks reach the LA side over the bridges that connect Terminal Island to San Pedro and Long Beach, or by the freeways that run up each side of the harbor. That keeps cross-harbor drayage in the same daily rhythm as our Long Beach moves.
Cross-harbor work also helps with empties. Ocean carriers often direct empty returns to a terminal or depot at either port, regardless of where the load was discharged. Because we work both sides, we can pair a Los Angeles pickup with an empty return at a Long Beach terminal, or the reverse, without adding a separate trip.
For the truck move itself, see Port of Los Angeles drayage. When entry is not ready, bonded drayage from Los Angeles moves the container under bond to our bonded warehouse in Long Beach.
Los Angeles import logistics: when LA vs Long Beach matters
Importers rarely choose the port directly; the ocean carrier's service decides where the vessel calls. These are the cases where the difference still matters.
| Situation | Why it matters | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Your carrier's service calls Los Angeles | Appointment system, gate rules and empty return instructions are set by that terminal | We book through the terminal's system and follow its return instructions |
| Vessel is diverted between ports | Terminal, appointment and LFD can all change | Same team, updated plan; no handoff to a new carrier |
| Containers from one order land at both ports | Split arrivals need to be reunited before delivery | We pull from both ports and consolidate at our Long Beach facility |
| Receiver is in the South Bay, Carson or Compton | Some LA terminals are closer to these areas than Long Beach terminals | We route directly from the LA terminal to the receiver when that is faster |
| Freight needs handling before delivery | Unloading, transloading or CFS work happens at our Long Beach facility | Short cross-harbor move, then transloading or CFS work |
Port to door logistics for a Los Angeles container
- 01Before arrival
We get the bill of lading, container numbers, weights and delivery plan, confirm which LA terminal the vessel will work, and check with your broker on entry timing.
- 02Release and pickup
We watch the terminal record for holds and the last free day, book an appointment, and pull the container on our own chassis.
- 03Direct or via Long Beach
Containers for a single nearby receiver go straight there. Containers that need unloading, transloading, storage or bonded handling come across the harbor to our Long Beach facility.
- 04Delivery and empty return
Freight moves locally, regionally or nationwide by FTL or LTL, and the empty goes back to whichever terminal or depot the carrier designates, at either port.
Truck routes out of the Port of Los Angeles
Most import trucks leave the Los Angeles side of the harbor by the Harbor Freeway (I-110), which runs north from San Pedro past Wilmington and Carson toward downtown Los Angeles, or by State Route 47 over the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Terminal Island and on toward Long Beach. Much of the port's rail-bound cargo instead leaves by the Alameda Corridor, a 20-mile rail line that links the two ports to the rail yards near downtown Los Angeles.
Those routes shape our plans. Containers for receivers along the I-110 corridor often go direct from the LA terminal, while containers that need handling take SR 47 across to Long Beach. Knowing which terminal and which route applies helps us schedule appointments that avoid the worst of the freeway peaks and keep turn times predictable.
Where Los Angeles imports usually go first
| First stop | Typical freight | How we move it |
|---|---|---|
| Receivers in Carson and Compton | Palletized freight for nearby DCs and distributors | Direct drayage from the LA terminal with live unload or drop |
| Our Long Beach facility | Floor-loaded, multi-destination, uncleared or LCL freight | Cross-harbor move for unloading, transloading, CFS or bonded storage |
| Distribution centers in the Inland Empire | Full containers or transloaded trailers for regional DCs | Direct drayage or transload, depending on destination count |
| Destinations outside California | Freight bound for national distribution | Transload in Long Beach, then FTL or LTL |
Freight forwarder services in Los Angeles
Forwarders and NVOCCs use us as their destination partner for Port of Los Angeles cargo.
- Destination drayage for FCL containers from San Pedro, Wilmington and Terminal Island terminals
- CFS deconsolidation of LCL and multi-consignee containers, with each house bill released to its consignee
- In-bond moves and bonded storage when a consignee's entry is late, coordinated with the customs broker
- Warehousing, cross-docking and container unloading for consignees who need handling before delivery
- Status updates from release to delivery that forwarders can share with their customers
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with freight forwarders at the Port of Los Angeles?
Yes. We act as a Los Angeles destination partner for forwarders and NVOCCs, handling drayage, CFS, bonded moves, storage and delivery.
Where is your facility relative to the Port of Los Angeles?
Our operation is in Long Beach, across San Pedro Bay from the Los Angeles terminals. Containers needing handling make a short cross-harbor move; containers for a single nearby receiver can go direct from the LA terminal.
Is the import process different at Los Angeles than at Long Beach?
Customs rules are the same at both ports. The differences are at the terminal level: appointment systems, gate procedures and empty return instructions. We work both ports, so a diversion does not change your provider.
Do you file customs entries?
No. Entries are filed by a licensed customs broker. We handle the physical movement, bonded transportation and bonded storage alongside your broker.
Can you return empties to a different port than where the container was picked up?
Yes, when the ocean carrier directs it. Carriers often designate return locations at either port, and we plan returns to match.
Do Los Angeles containers have to come to your Long Beach facility?
No. Containers for a single receiver nearby, such as in Carson, Compton or the Inland Empire, can go straight from the LA terminal. Only freight that needs unloading, transloading, CFS work or bonded storage comes across the harbor.
Can you reunite an order that arrived at both ports?
Yes. We pull containers from Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals and consolidate them at our Long Beach facility before delivery.