Eight questions shippers ask most about moving a container from a U.S. port to a final consignee door. If yours isn't here, our team will answer it the same day.
What drives the price of a port-to-door container shipment?
Four factors move the number most: current fuel cost in the drayage lane, the chassis fee at the receiving port, demurrage/detention if the container sits past free time, and congestion surcharges at busy terminals. Our quote engine pulls these inputs live so the rate you see reflects the lane on the day you book — not a stale average.
How long does port-to-door shipping typically take?
Most U.S. port-to-door moves clear in 3–7 business days end to end. Day 1–2 covers vessel discharge and customs release at the port. Day 3–4 is the cross-town drayage leg with chassis pickup and a rail or road handoff. Day 5–7 is the linehaul to the consignee door, with the unload appointment usually the last step. Expedited and hot-shot tiers compress this to a 24–72 hour window.
What paperwork and insurance are required?
For ocean cargo you need an ISF (10+2) filing for U.S. inbound, an AMS filing through your customs broker, and a clean Bill of Lading. On the inland side we carry standard cargo and motor carrier liability, and we can bind contingent cargo insurance on request for high-value FCL moves. A commercial invoice and packing list round out the document set most brokers expect at booking.
Which U.S. ports do you cover for port-to-door service?
We run regularly out of Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, Houston, Galveston, New York/New Jersey, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, and Miami. Inland destinations are reachable from any of these via rail or over-the-road linehaul, and we will quote less-frequent ports on request through our partner network.
How does the 14-day trial work for paid plans?
Every paid plan starts with a 14-day free trial — no charges until your trial ends, and you can cancel anytime before then. After the trial your monthly billing begins on the plan you picked at signup. You can move port-to-door shipments under that active subscription or use the custom International Shipper quote path without a subscription.
Do you have a referral program?
Yes. Truckers and dispatchers each get a unique referral code from their dashboard, and a free month is credited to the referrer once two referred users each complete 30 days of paid service. Shippers and carriers tap separate pools so the credit always applies to a plan you actually use.
What happens if my port-to-door lane gets cancelled?
No-fault reschedules — vessel delay, port closure, weather — are handled without a fee; we rebook the inland leg at no charge and notify you of the new ETA. Cancellations made by the shipper after chassis pickup or dispatch are subject to a cancellation fee equal to the drayage portion already performed plus any demurrage accrued at the terminal. We surface the exact amount on the booking confirmation so there are no surprises.
How is port-to-door different from a regular domestic move?
A domestic move is single-leg, drayage only — pickup to drop-off within the U.S. Port-to-door adds an ocean trunk line: the container first arrives at a U.S. port on a vessel, clears customs, and is then handed off to the inland drayage or rail leg to reach the final consignee. The extra leg means demurrage windows, customs filings, and a coordinated handoff at the terminal — exactly what our quoting and operations team is set up to handle.
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