Home / Logistics Knowledge / FCL Drayage and Inland Trucking: Factory to Port
Moving the full container from your supplier to the port is the first physical leg. Getting pre-carriage right prevents missed sailings.
Drayage is the trucking of the container between the inland point (your factory or warehouse) and the port container yard. It is the short-haul leg that connects your cargo to the vessel.
Pre-carriage is the inland move before the ocean leg (factory to port). On-carriage is the inland move after the ocean leg (destination port to your warehouse). Both are separate from the sea freight.
Arrange drayage with enough lead time and confirm the cut-off. Oversized or heavy boxes may need a special chassis or permits. Build buffer for traffic and any terminal congestion.
Drayage is priced per move and may include waiting time, chassis, and terminal fees. It is not part of the ocean freight, so confirm whether your quote includes it.
It follows the Incoterms. Under FOB or CFR to the port, the seller usually arranges pre-carriage; under EXW the buyer handles everything.
No, it is a separate local charge for the inland move.
Hours locally and a day or more for cross-country moves; allow buffer for traffic and terminal queues.
The container rolls to the next sailing, delaying delivery and possibly adding storage.
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