What is the difference between demurrage and detention?

Demurrage is charged when a container stays at the terminal beyond the free-time period. Detention is charged when a container is out of the terminal but not returned by the deadline. Both are billed by the shipping line, separate from drayage.

How is chassis fee calculated at LALB?

At LA/LB, chassis fees are bundled into the drayage rate. At other ports chassis is a separate daily charge.

What information is needed to arrange drayage?

Container number, B/L number, shipping line, delivery address, unload type (live or drop and pick), preferred pickup date, and consignee contact details.

Los Angeles Drayage & Long Beach Port

Service Types

Full coverage at Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and Port of Long Beach (POLB) — all terminals, all container types

Live Unload

Driver waits on-site while cargo is unloaded, then returns the container immediately. Best for warehouses with dock doors and adequate staff. Avoids ongoing chassis rental fees.

Drop & Pick

Driver drops the loaded container at your facility, returns to pick up the empty. Ideal when you lack dock staff or need extra unloading time. Chassis fees apply per day.

Specialty

Specialty Containers

Handles 20ft, 40ft standard, 40ft High Cube, 45ft containers. Reefer containers available with advance notice. Oversize/overweight cargo via flatbed or specialized equipment — contact for quote.

Coverage Map

From LA/LB ports, radiating across Southern California and the Central Valley

Inland Empire

Covers Fontana, Ontario, Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Bernardino — the largest warehouse cluster in the western US.

~50–80 miles

LA County

Downtown LA, Vernon, Commerce, City of Industry, Torrance and surrounding industrial zones. Short-haul convenience.

~10–40 miles

Orange County

Anaheim, Irvine, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Brea and surrounds. Close proximity to port = competitive pricing.

~35–60 miles

San Diego & Central Valley

San Diego and Chula Vista available. Central Valley cities (Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton) via long-haul drayage — request quote in advance.

~100–250 miles

Transparent Drayage Pricing

Drayage costs include the following components, itemized based on information known at the time of quoting

01

Base Drayage Rate

Calculated by destination ZIP code and container size. Covers port pickup to final delivery. Get an instant online quote.

02

Fuel Surcharge (FSC)

Fuel surcharge floats with diesel prices. Current FSC ~45% (included in all quotes). Locked at time of quote.

03

Chassis Fee

LA/LB chassis fees are included in quoted rates (LALB is the only port where chassis is bundled). Drop & Pick incurs daily chassis charges — noted in quotes.

04

Port Surcharges

Terminal gate fees, clean truck surcharges, congestion fees — passed through at cost without markup. Fully itemized in your quote.

05

Demurrage / Detention

Demurrage and detention beyond the shipping line's free time are billed by the carrier directly to the cargo owner — not part of drayage. We send reminders before free time expires.

06

Drop & Pick Surcharge

Drop & pick incurs a surcharge on top of the Live Unload base rate, reflecting the additional driver trip, empty-container recovery, and chassis-use scheduling involved. The exact amount is itemized as a separate line in your confirmed quote.

✅ Known charges are itemized at quote confirmation. Charges arising from actual wait time, terminal or ocean-carrier fee adjustments, or schedule changes may be billed separately under the applicable quote and transportation agreement. Instant online quotes, no phone call required.

4-Step Drayage Process

1 — Get a quote

Enter port, destination ZIP, container size, and unload type. Instant quote including FSC, chassis, and port fees.

2 — Confirm booking

Provide container number, B/L number, delivery address, and time window. We dispatch a licensed drayage carrier.

3 — Port pickup

Driver retrieves container from the terminal under authorization. All gate procedures handled. Full status tracking available.

4 — Delivery and return

Live Unload: return container immediately after unloading. Drop & Pick: notify us when empty, driver retrieves and returns to yard.

Get Your LA/LB Drayage Quote Now

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Before You Request an LA/LB Drayage Quote

📦

Container number + size/type (20 / 40 / 40HC / 45)

⚓

Port / terminal (LA / Long Beach) + steamship line

📅

Last Free Day (LFD) + available pickup date

📍

Delivery address + appointment / receiving hours

⚖️

Cargo weight (note if overweight / tri-axle needed)

🔄

Live unload or drop & pick preference

Real Inquiry · Technical Analysis

3 Containers of Class 9 Hazmat, Port of LA to Texas

A real RFQ for three 40' containers of hazardous cargo arriving on the same vessel, destined for Texas. The inquiry listed only the hazmat category — "Class 9" — before requesting pricing, we ask for the UN Number, Proper Shipping Name and Packing Group, since carriers need these to decide whether they can take the load and what compliance paperwork applies. We also flagged that two of the three containers carry close to 47,000 lbs of cargo each — once you add container tare weight and chassis, that can approach legal axle-weight limits, so it's worth confirming overweight permit needs before assuming standard equipment will work.

3

40' containers

Class 9

Hazmat class

~47,223 lbs

Heaviest container

Same vessel

Arrival

Container count, cargo weight and arrival details are drawn from an actual customer inquiry, unaltered. The exact delivery address has been withheld — only the state is shown. As of publishing, the carrier and final rate for this shipment have not been determined. What's shown here is the quoting-stage analysis, not a completed delivery — no transit time or cost outcome is claimed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Demurrage generally relates to a container remaining at a marine terminal beyond applicable free time. Container detention or per diem generally relates to extended use of carrier equipment after pickup. Terminal storage may be billed separately by the terminal. Free time, the billing party, and rates depend on the applicable ocean carrier, terminal and contract rules — confirm the exact terms for your shipment; these are separate from drayage fees. We can remind you before free time expires so you can plan pickup accordingly.

At LALB, chassis fees are bundled into drayage rates — our LALB quotes already include chassis, no separate charge. At other ports (Savannah, NY/NJ, Chicago, etc.), chassis is a separate daily fee, typically $25–$50/day. For Drop & Pick, chassis fees accrue daily while the container sits at your facility and are listed as a separate line item in your quote.

We handle standard 20ft, 40ft, 40ft High Cube, and 45ft containers. Reefer containers can be arranged with at least 48 hours advance notice and power requirements specified — pricing varies. For open top, flat rack, or other out-of-gauge equipment, please contact us directly and we'll arrange the appropriate specialized chassis.

Book drayage 3–5 business days before vessel arrival. Free time is typically 3–5 days depending on the shipping line, and may be shorter during peak season. Best practices: ① Confirm the free-time start date (usually first available pickup day); ② Allow one buffer day; ③ Contact us promptly if port congestion causes delays. We can send proactive reminders when your free time is within 24–48 hours of expiring.

Live Unload has a lower base rate because the driver waits a limited time and returns the container immediately — no daily chassis fees. Requires sufficient dock staff to unload within 2–3 hours. Drop & Pick has a slightly higher base rate (reflecting the additional driver trip and scheduling involved; the exact amount is shown in your confirmed quote) but offers flexible unloading time — ideal when staffing is limited or unloading takes multiple days. Daily chassis fees are an added cost. Rule of thumb: efficient unloading → Live Unload; scheduling flexibility → Drop & Pick.

To confirm a drayage order we need: ① Container number; ② Bill of Lading (B/L) number; ③ Shipping line / SCAC code; ④ Full delivery address including ZIP code; ⑤ Unload type (Live Unload or Drop & Pick); ⑥ Preferred pickup date and time window; ⑦ Consignee contact name and phone. If cargo is temperature-sensitive, hazmat, or oversize/overweight, please advise in advance.

When container weight (including tare weight and chassis) approaches or exceeds legal axle-weight limits, you need a tri-axle chassis or an overweight permit to move it legally — flag the estimated cargo weight when you request a quote so we can confirm equipment needs upfront. See our <a href="/heavy-haul" style="color:var(--nm-brand-text);font-weight:600">heavy-haul page</a> for oversize/overweight arrangements, or contact us directly for a quote.