Ocean Freight and US Ports: A Guide for Truckers

Most containers that land in a US port finish their trip on a truck. This section covers the ocean side of that move: who you are dealing with, the federal rules that apply, and the charges and paperwork that decide whether a box moves on time.

Where trucking meets ocean freight

For an owner-operator or a small fleet, ocean freight usually shows up in one of three ways: pulling containers between a marine terminal and a warehouse (drayage), picking up LCL freight from a container freight station, or hauling trailers to and from a carrier that serves Hawaii, Alaska or Puerto Rico. For a small importer or exporter, it shows up as a booking, a stack of documents and a list of charges that do not look like anything in a truck rate confirmation.

The ocean side has its own regulator (the Federal Maritime Commission), its own security credential (the TWIC), its own documents (the ocean bill of lading) and its own charges (demurrage and detention). The pages below explain each one with the current federal rules, verified against the regulations and agency sites.

The guides in this section

Guide	Covers	Most useful for	Key fact
How ocean freight works	FCL vs LCL, carriers vs NVOCCs vs forwarders, FMC bonds, container sizes, document flow	New importers, drayage carriers quoting heavy boxes	A US-based NVOCC needs a $75,000 bond; a forwarder $50,000
TWIC card	Who needs it, how to apply, fees, escorts, renewals	Drivers starting port work	$128 new, $105.25 reduced rate, valid five years
Demurrage and detention	What the charges are, the FMC billing rule, deadlines, disputes	Importers, drayage carriers, anyone receiving a container invoice	Invoices must be issued within 30 days, and must contain specific information, or the charge is not owed
Ocean bill of lading	Straight, order, sea waybill, house vs master, the fields, truck BOL comparison	Shippers, importers, dispatchers	Ocean carrier liability defaults to $500 per package under COGSA
The Jones Act	Requirements, where it applies, Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico, waivers	Shippers and carriers serving noncontiguous markets	Applies to Puerto Rico and Guam, not to the US Virgin Islands

Who regulates what

Agency	What it handles that affects you
Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)	Licenses NVOCCs and ocean freight forwarders, sets the demurrage and detention billing rules, takes charge complaints
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)	Issues the TWIC after a background check
U.S. Coast Guard	Approves facility security plans and enforces TWIC access rules at terminals
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)	Import entry and release, the Importer Security Filing, Jones Act enforcement
Maritime Administration (MARAD)	Vessel availability determinations for Jones Act waivers; US-flag fleet programs
FMCSA	Your trucking authority, insurance filings and safety rules on the road leg

The road leg still follows trucking rules

Once a container leaves the terminal on a chassis, it is a truckload like any other for federal and state purposes. You still need operating authority (see trucking authority), the box has to be legal on weight (see weight limits), and the driver is responsible for what is visible of the load and the equipment. Containers are a common source of overweight tickets because the international rating of a box is far above what a US tractor and chassis can legally carry. If you are new to port work, start with our guide to drayage, which covers the UIIA, terminal registration and how drayage is priced.

Three things that cost small operators money

Charges nobody checked. Since May 28, 2024, demurrage and detention invoices from carriers, terminals and NVOCCs must include free-time dates, availability dates, the rate basis and dispute contacts. Many disputes are won on the invoice alone. See demurrage and detention.
A driver without a valid TWIC. Processing can take 30 to 45 days and TSA recommends applying 60 days ahead. A lapsed card stops a driver at the gate. See TWIC card.
The wrong reference number. Terminals find boxes by the master bill of lading and container number, not the house bill your NVOCC gave you. See bill of lading.

Recent changes worth knowing

December 29, 2025: the FMC removed the section of its demurrage and detention rule that limited who could be billed, after a federal appeals court set it aside. The rest of the rule stays in force.
September 1, 2026: an FMC rule took effect clarifying that charge complaints can be pursued through its interim email procedure or its formal complaint processes.
Through November 15, 2026: a national-defense Jones Act waiver covers listed petroleum, gas and fertilizer products moving between US ports, under conditions set by CBP and MARAD.
May 8, 2029: the Coast Guard's delayed deadline for electronic TWIC reader requirements at certain facilities.

Questions

Do I need a TWIC to haul containers from a port?

In practice, yes. A TWIC is required for unescorted access to secure areas of regulated maritime facilities, which includes container terminal yards. Escorts are allowed by regulation, but many terminals do not provide them for truck drivers.

Who regulates ocean freight in the United States?

The Federal Maritime Commission regulates ocean common carriers, NVOCCs, ocean freight forwarders and marine terminal operators. CBP handles customs and enforces the Jones Act, TSA issues the TWIC, and the Coast Guard enforces port facility security.

Can I refuse to pay a demurrage or detention invoice?

If an invoice from an ocean carrier, terminal operator or NVOCC is missing information required by 46 CFR 541 or was issued more than 30 days after the charges were last incurred, the rule says you are not obligated to pay it. Otherwise, dispute it in writing within the time frame on the invoice.

Ocean Freight and US Ports: What Truckers and Small Shippers Need to Know