What is Drayage?

What is drayage? Although it can be used for minor transporting of goods, it is more often used in the container shipping industry. Without being a part of the shipping industry, a person might actually never hear the word "drayage". For those of us in international shipping, the term means the trucking of containerized cargo. This may be trucking from one port to another port, it may be trucking from a port to the rail yard for further transport or it could be trucking to the final destination. Regardless of where the container goes, the word drayage is specifically used for trucking for short distances. In the circle of international commerce in container shipping, the word drayage also may be used to describe the charges incurred when the cargo is moved to or from the port just as described above. This is a separate charge that may be from the shipping carrier or another trucking company depending on the services you have set up for the cargo. Either way you may see the term on your bill listed as drayage. Sometimes this fee may be prepaid by the seller while other times it may be the buyer's responsibility. Regardless this will be established before the container moves from its origin. This charge may also be included in the shipping carrier's bill of lading if the shipper has set it up as a through bill of lading. Otherwise, there are many container trucking companies that can handle this move for you.