About project
Period: Jul – Sep 2025
Client: U.S. Apparel Retailer (Confidential)
Subject: Ocean + Drayage + Transloading to 53′ Vans for Back-to-School Peak
Goal: eliminate demurrage/per diem during peak season and cut inland costs by moving 40′HC imports through fast transload to domestic 53′ dry vans, meeting strict DC appointment windows nationwide.
Our Task Was
Engineer an end-to-end plan for 40′HC containers arriving LA/LB: clear customs on time, dray to a port-proximate warehouse, palletize and label to routing-guide specs, then tender consolidated 53′ truckloads into three regional DCs with zero storage fees and reliable must-arrive dates.
Process
Six-step operating plan from vessel arrival to DC delivery.
Supplier pre-alerts, ISF 10+2 filed; ACE entry prepped with HTS validation
Arrival watch & LFD control; holds cleared; CES contingency reserved
Drayage appointments booked; correct chassis and tri-axle arranged when needed
Same-day transload: palletize, label, photo capture; exceptions documented
Region-based consolidation to 53′ vans; DC appointments sequenced
Empty returns to nominated depot; POD and photo closeout issued
Result
Peak program achieved cost savings and schedule reliability across 38 import containers.
Inland cost ↓ 27% vs. direct container dray to inland ramps
Demurrage & per diem avoided on 37/38 boxes; $18,400 saved in fees
Door-to-DC cycle time ↓ 3.2 days average vs. prior year
On-time to appointment 99.5% across three DCs
Damage/claims rate < 0.3% with photo documentation
Scalable SOP now used for holiday season surge
Conclusion
Container-to-van transloading near the port, combined with early clearance and tight LFD control, removed storage risk and cut inland spend. With routing-guide-ready pallets and sequenced appointments, the retailer met shelf-date targets and standardized the playbook for future peaks.