Why the island lane rewards a specialist
Mainland freight brokers treat Puerto Rico like a long truck route with a wet section in the middle. It isn't. Island logistics has its own sailing schedules, its own documentation, its own tax requirements, and its own port rhythms — and freight run by people who don't know them sits, waits, and costs. Specialized knowledge of Caribbean shipping requirements is how our customers navigate island logistics efficiently and minimize delays.
Both directions, one straight line
Our San Juan terminal and Florida gateways make the lane feel like a straight line: one team, one point of contact, door to door.
Pickup anywhere in the continental U.S., consolidation in Jacksonville or Miami, ocean sailing to the island, final delivery.
Island pickup through our Caribbean terminal, ocean transit, and inland delivery to any U.S. destination.
Documentation and island requirements, handled
Puerto Rico is a U.S. jurisdiction — no U.S. customs clearance for mainland shipments — but arriving goods must be declared to the island's Treasury Department (Hacienda) and applicable taxes settled before release. Other Caribbean destinations add true international customs on top. Either way, we prepare and file what the destination requires as part of the move, so paperwork never becomes the reason your freight sits at a port.
The San Juan terminal
The difference between "we ship to Puerto Rico" and "we operate in Puerto Rico" is a terminal. Ours is in San Juan, staffed by our own team — receiving northbound freight, coordinating island deliveries, and giving southbound cargo a destination that belongs to the same network that picked it up on the mainland. When you call about your freight, you're talking to the operation, not a partner-of-a-partner.
Gateway consolidation: the cost lever
Most island-bound shippers don't fill a container. Our Jacksonville and Miami facilities receive freight from your vendors and plants, consolidate it into full containers, and connect it to the next southbound sailing — several small shipments become one efficient ocean move with one set of island filings. It's the single biggest cost saver on the lane, and it only works when the warehouse, the vessel booking, and the island terminal belong to the same system.
Beyond Puerto Rico
The same gateways and expertise serve the wider Caribbean. If your freight is bound for the islands, tell us where — we'll quote the lane, the schedule, and the requirements in one answer.
Puerto Rico & Caribbean FAQs
Do shipments to Puerto Rico clear U.S. customs?
No — Puerto Rico is a U.S. jurisdiction, so freight from the mainland doesn't pass through U.S. customs. But the island has its own arrival requirements, including Hacienda (Puerto Rico Treasury) tax filings on goods entering the island. We handle those requirements as part of every move, so your freight doesn't sit at the port waiting on paperwork.
What is the Hacienda tax filing?
Goods arriving in Puerto Rico must be declared to the island's Treasury Department (Hacienda) and applicable use taxes settled before cargo is released. It's routine when you do it every day — and a costly surprise when you don't. Our team files as part of the standard southbound process.
How long does shipping to Puerto Rico take?
From a Florida gateway, ocean transit to San Juan typically runs three to four days, plus inland pickup time on the front end and island delivery on the back. Your dedicated contact quotes the full door-to-door schedule against the next available sailing.
Can you handle northbound freight from the island?
Yes — northbound is a full service, not an afterthought. We pick up across Puerto Rico through our San Juan terminal, manage the ocean transit, and deliver anywhere on the mainland through our inland network.
Let's move forward together.
Request a transportation quote or talk to us about your logistics requirements.