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Most of an export’s journey happens at sea, but most of the things that go wrong happen on the road leg. A truck that misses the gate cut-off can miss the vessel. A container that waits at a congested terminal can run up detention. This guide explains how port haulage works and how to plan it so the road leg is not the weak link.
What port haulage covers
Port haulage is the road leg of an export or import.
- Export: your factory to the port, terminal or CFS (container freight station), before the gate cut-off for the vessel.
- Import: the port or CFS to your factory or warehouse, after customs has cleared the cargo.
Safe & Secure Logistics has moved freight since 1951, with 110+ branches and offices, 2,000+ destinations and 76,000+ truck hires a year. Our port haulage service runs lanes via Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Port, Mundra and Haldia.
The main ports in brief
JNPT (Nhava Sheva). India’s main container gateway on the west coast, near Mumbai. It serves much of western, central and northern India. Many CFSs sit around it, so check whether your cargo is stuffed or de-stuffed at the terminal or at a CFS.
Mundra. A large port in Gujarat that handles containers and bulk cargo. It is a common gateway for the north-west and for Gujarat’s industrial belt.
Mumbai Port and Haldia. Mumbai Port handles break-bulk and other cargo close to the city. Haldia, on the east coast, serves eastern India.
The right port depends on the shipping line’s service, the vessel schedule, and the road distance from your factory. Your forwarder or shipping line will usually set the port. The road plan follows from it.
Containers and vehicles
Ocean containers belong to the shipping line, not the transporter. The common sizes are 20 ft and 40 ft, with high-cube and refrigerated variants. Our container size guide lists their dimensions.
On the road, the vehicle is matched to the cargo:
- 40 ft trailers carry a loaded ocean container or long cargo.
- 32 ft containers (closed trucks) carry cargo that is stuffed or de-stuffed at a CFS.
- Semi-low-bed trailers carry machinery and tall or heavy equipment.
If your cargo is oversized, read our ODC transport guide before you book.
Documents that travel with the truck
A port move needs both road documents and customs documents.
- Commercial invoice and packing list.
- E-way bill, generated under Rule 138 of the CGST Rules for the road movement. See our GST and e-way bill guide.
- Lorry receipt (LR) from the transporter. Our LR guide explains it.
- Customs papers from your broker: the shipping bill for export, or the bill of entry and out-of-charge for import. These are filed through ICEGATE under the Customs Act, 1962.
- Container and terminal papers as required by the shipping line and terminal, such as the delivery order for import.
Customs clearance is filed by your customs broker, or we arrange one for you. SSL itself is not a customs broker. Use the export-import document checklist to confirm nothing is missing.
Congestion, waiting and detention
Ports and CFSs get busy. Trucks can queue at the gate, at the scanner, or for a slot to load or unload. Waiting costs money in two ways:
- Truck detention: the transporter may charge for time the vehicle waits beyond the agreed free hours.
- Container detention and demurrage: the shipping line and terminal may charge when a container is held beyond its free days.
Our guide on demurrage and detention explains the difference. The best protection is planning: book the truck early, share the cut-off, and have papers ready before the truck arrives.
How to plan a port pickup or delivery
- Share the port, terminal or CFS, and the cut-off. Give the vessel or gate cut-off time, not just the sailing date.
- Describe the cargo. Weight, dimensions, packing, and whether it travels in an ocean container or loose.
- Confirm the vehicle. 40 ft trailer, 32 ft container or semi-low-bed, as the cargo needs.
- Line up the documents. Invoice, e-way bill and customs papers from your broker travel with the truck.
- Agree waiting terms. Free hours and how waiting is charged, in writing.
- Track against the cut-off. Our desk follows the truck against the cut-off.
- Close with POD. Delivery at the terminal, CFS or your factory closes the move.
If you are new to exporting, our step-by-step export guide covers the wider process. We can also book the ocean leg through our sea freight service.
Get a port haulage price
Tell us the port, the inland point, the cargo and the cut-off. Our desk will confirm the vehicle and the price for your exact load.
- For a regular lane or a volume contract, send a request for quote.
- For a single move, get a quick quote.
Figures for Safe & Secure Logistics are for FY2025-26 from our booking register. How each one is counted is on the Facts and sources page.