Container transport (drayage) AI image

Services

Container transport (drayage)

Collection and return of containers from ports and terminals (drayage), with booking and free-day control.

Container transport is the road handling of a sea container on the port or rail-terminal leg, known as drayage. After a booking we collect the full container, deliver it to unloading and return the empty, and for export we deliver a container for loading. The service is for importers and exporters who need to tie a port to a warehouse or factory and to customs.

Drayage is the short road move of a container between a sea or rail terminal and the unloading or loading address, including collecting and returning the equipment.

What it covers

  • Collecting a full container at the port or terminal after a booking and within the window agreed with the terminal
  • Delivering the container to the unloading address and returning the empty to the designated depot
  • Delivering an empty or full container for export loading
  • Matching the chassis to the container type and length, including heavier loads
  • Watching the free days and the demurrage and detention status for the order
  • Tying the move to import or export clearance
  • Handing over transport documents and confirmation that the empty was returned
  • Option to unload at our warehouse in Kielce or Legnica when the final address is not yet ready

How we do it

We start from the container number, the booking and the release terminal. We check how many free days the carrier grants for the order and plan collection and return so they fit inside those days. We match the right chassis to the container type, because that decides whether the load may legally move on the road at all.

Once the container is collected we deliver it to unloading and return the empty to the depot named by the carrier. When a deadline is at risk, for example a queue at the terminal or a warehouse that is not ready, we flag it before waiting turns into a charge. We tie the whole move to clearance so the container does not sit on its customs status.

Limits of the service (what it does NOT cover / what to know)

We are not a shipping line or a terminal, and we do not set demurrage or detention rates. The number of free days and the level of the charges follow the carrier terms for the order, not our price list. If the booking, the customs documents or the warehouse readiness slip, the container stands, and standstill charges accrue per day and can exceed the cost of the move itself. We are not responsible for how the goods were loaded and secured inside the container when the shipper did it. Clearance and permits are handled within the scope set in the order.

See also

We run this service end to end: from the truck arriving, through the paperwork, to unloading at the consignee. You talk to one account manager. They own the whole route and hold the deadline, even when the plan changes.

How we run it

  1. 01

    We book at the terminal

    Booking, references and the pick-up window. A vehicle with the right chassis for the container type.

  2. 02

    We collect and deliver

    A full container to unloading or an empty one for export loading, tied to the clearance.

  3. 03

    We watch the free days

    Demurrage and detention counted ahead of time, so waiting does not eat the margin on the load.

Frequently asked questions

What do demurrage and detention charges on a container mean?
Demurrage is a charge for the container sitting in the terminal after the free days expire. Detention is a charge for keeping the container outside the terminal before it is returned empty. We plan pickup and return to limit both costs.
Do you match the chassis to the container type?
Yes. We match the chassis to the container type assigned to the order so the move runs in line with the terminal booking.
Do you tie the container move to customs clearance?
Yes. We tie the port/terminal container move to import or export clearance so the transport and customs steps run consistently. Details are on our customs clearance page.
What is a terminal booking?
A booking is the notification of a vehicle's terminal visit for a specific slot, made before a container is picked up or returned. You will find the definition in the glossary.

Need transport or customs clearance?

Tell us what you need, a forwarder replies, not an autoresponder. Operations available 24/7.