PortMiami Container Drayage

What PortMiami drayage involves

A PortMiami move is a connected sequence rather than a single truck trip. Before pickup, dispatch confirms that the ocean carrier has released the container, the terminal has made it available, customs status permits movement, and the delivery location can receive it. The driver then enters the assigned terminal, completes the pickup, follows the planned road route, and delivers the sealed container to the consignee. After unloading, the empty must be returned to the location designated by the ocean carrier before equipment-use time continues to build.

New Roads Logistics controls the tractor and driver for every move we accept. Dispatch follows the container from availability through proof of delivery and empty return, keeping the customer informed when a release, terminal hold, appointment, receiver condition, or empty-return instruction changes. That direct chain of responsibility is especially important on time-sensitive imports because each handoff can affect free time and equipment obligations.

POMTOC and South Florida Container Terminal

PortMiami container pickups are commonly processed through POMTOC or South Florida Container Terminal (SFCT). The correct terminal is determined by the vessel service and container record, not by the trucking company. A release that names one facility cannot be used at the other. Dispatch checks the terminal shown in the shipment information and gives the driver the matching pickup reference, container number, and appointment details when an appointment is required.

Chassis access and UIIA participation

A container needs a compatible chassis for road movement. The chassis may come from a pool or a leasing provider, and the assigned equipment must match the container size and load plan. New Roads Logistics owns its tractors and employs its drivers; chassis are supplied through the appropriate pool or lease source for the move. Dispatch confirms the equipment source before the driver enters the terminal so a chassis issue does not become an avoidable second trip.

Free time, demurrage, detention, and per diem

The four terms describe different parts of container use. Free time is the period allowed under the applicable ocean-carrier or terminal rules. Demurrage generally concerns a loaded import container that remains at the marine terminal beyond its allowed terminal time. Detention generally concerns container use outside the terminal, while per diem is an equipment-use charge assessed under the provider's terms. The controlling documents and shipment facts determine which term applies.

Last free day and pre-pull planning

Last free day (LFD) is the final date shown by the responsible system before additional terminal time may begin. It should be verified against the current container record because holds, availability changes, and carrier rules can affect what the customer sees. An LFD is not a truck appointment and does not by itself prove the container is available. Dispatch needs both the date and confirmation that all pickup conditions are satisfied.

Customs exams and other holds

A customs or agency exam can change the normal pickup sequence. The container may be unavailable, moved to an examination location, or released only after the agency and facility complete their process. New Roads Logistics does not control the government decision or examination timeline. We monitor the status information provided for the load and prepare the next trucking step once the container is legally available.

Overweight and out-of-gauge moves from PortMiami

Heavy sealed containers require planning before terminal pickup. Dispatch reviews the verified gross mass, cargo weight, container size, destination, and route conditions to select a suitable tractor-and-chassis combination. New Roads Logistics holds an FDOT overweight blanket permit and uses multi-axle chassis supplied for the load when the configuration requires additional axle distribution. The permit does not make every route or weight lawful; the complete configuration and route still have to comply.

Delivery areas from PortMiami

Local PortMiami deliveries include destinations throughout Miami-Dade and Broward, including Doral, Medley, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Opa-locka, Miami Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Davie, and Sunrise. The delivery site must be able to receive the container and provide safe access for the tractor and chassis. Dispatch confirms the address, contact, receiving method, and whether the container will be unloaded while the driver waits or left for a later pickup.

Operating boundaries and load information

New Roads Logistics is an asset-based motor carrier serving PortMiami and Port Everglades. We operate our own tractors and employ our own drivers. We handle 20ft and 40ft ocean containers, including 40ft high cube, and accept work only when the equipment, route, cargo information, and delivery conditions fit our authority and operating plan. Deliveries outside Florida are outside our operating area.

Related resources

• Review our complete container drayage service catalogue — import, export, pre-pull, empty return, and exception handling
• Plan an overweight or out-of-gauge container move — weight review, multi-axle equipment, and FDOT permitting
• See local and inland Florida delivery areas — destinations served from both South Florida seaports
• Use the demurrage planning calculator — organize shipment dates before speaking with dispatch
• Send PortMiami load details to dispatch — request terms for a specific container

Frequently asked questions

What information should I send before a PortMiami pickup?

Send the container number, terminal, release status, last free day, container size, verified weight, delivery address, receiver contact, and requested timing. Dispatch uses those details to check whether the container and delivery plan are ready for trucking.

Does New Roads Logistics pick up at both POMTOC and SFCT?

Yes. We serve container moves through POMTOC and South Florida Container Terminal when the shipment record, equipment approval, and current terminal conditions permit pickup. The terminal shown for the container determines where the driver goes.

Does a last free day guarantee a PortMiami appointment?

No. Last free day describes terminal time under the applicable shipment rules; it does not prove that the container is released, available, or assigned an appointment. Dispatch checks each of those items separately.

Can a PortMiami container be pre-pulled before final delivery?

Yes, when the container is released and a pickup can be completed. NRL can move the container to its own yard and hold the sealed container under dispatch-approved storage terms until the receiver is ready.

What happens when a PortMiami container has an exam hold?

The container cannot follow the normal delivery sequence until the responsible agency and facility permit movement. We track the status information provided for the load and plan the next trucking step after release.

Who confirms the empty-return location after a PortMiami delivery?

The ocean carrier or equipment provider designates the return location. Dispatch checks the current instruction before the empty move because return directions can change after the loaded delivery.

What do you need to review a heavy container leaving PortMiami?

We need the verified gross mass, cargo weight, container size, destination, and requested timing. Those facts allow dispatch to review axle distribution, equipment, permitting, and the road route before accepting the move.

Where can you deliver a container picked up at PortMiami?

We deliver locally throughout Miami-Dade and Broward and provide inland Florida delivery to Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, and Fort Myers on our own trucks. Deliveries outside Florida are outside our operating area.