Bonded Drayage Services

· 2 min read

Bonded warehouse drayage moves containers that haven’t cleared US Customs yet — from the port to a customs-bonded warehouse where duty is deferred, storage is legal, and product can be held until the importer is ready to pay entry and release.

BlackBridge Logistics arranges bonded drayage regularly for importers needing to defer duty, hold inventory pre-sale, or consolidate containers before Customs release. We arrange qualified bonded motor carriers and coordinate the CBP 7512 handoff with your customs broker directly.

What bonded drayage is used for

  • Duty deferral. Product enters the US but duty isn’t owed until it leaves the bonded warehouse. Cash flow benefit for seasonal or uncertain-demand importers.
  • Inventory staging before sale. Hold imports under bond until your customer places the order — pay duty at that point.
  • Consolidation/deconsolidation. Multiple LCL shipments consolidated into one FCL pull, or one container split into multiple deliveries under bond.
  • Re-export pathway. Import, hold in bond, re-export without paying US duty (for goods destined for Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, etc.).
  • Delayed entry timing. Give your customs broker time to sort out paperwork or commerce department requirements without racking up port demurrage.

What is bonded drayage, and how does it work?

  1. Container arrives at port. Customs broker (or BBL, if arranged) files a CBP Form 7512 In-Bond manifest declaring the destination bonded warehouse.
  2. Bonded carrier dispatches. Only CBP-bonded carriers can move in-bond freight. We have these carriers in our network.
  3. Container hauled to bonded warehouse. Seal is verified on arrival; paperwork is reconciled with the warehouse bond.
  4. Warehouse holds container under bond. Goods remain in US but not yet “entered for consumption.” No duty owed yet.
  5. Release event. When you’re ready to pay duty, customs broker files entry; duty paid; goods released for domestic distribution.

Bonded drayage — where we operate (Houston, Long Beach, NY/NJ)

  • Port Newark / Elizabeth to bonded warehouses in northern NJ + NY metro
  • LA / Long Beach to bonded facilities in LA basin + Inland Empire
  • Houston to bonded warehouses in Houston metro + inland Texas
  • Savannah + Charleston to regional bonded facilities
  • Miami / Port Everglades to Miami-Dade bonded facilities (heavy Caribbean + Latin America re-export traffic)

What we need to quote bonded drayage

  1. Container number and vessel ETA
  2. Origin port + terminal
  3. Destination bonded warehouse (name + address)
  4. Customs broker contact — we’ll coordinate the in-bond manifest filing
  5. Container weight and any special handling

Standard vs bonded drayage — rate difference

Bonded drayage usually adds 10-20% over standard drayage rates on the same lane. The premium covers the bonded carrier authority, CBP compliance paperwork, and coordination overhead. Worth it if duty deferral or bonded storage saves you more than that.

Customs Deferral in Houston

Houston is one of our deepest bonded markets because cross-border and Latin American import volume keeps in-bond moves routine at Bayport and Barbours Cut. Importers commonly defer duty by hauling containers under bond to a Houston-area customs warehouse, holding inventory until sell-through, and only filing entry when the product is released to the buyer. We coordinate Houston bonded drayage from Bayport and Barbours Cut directly with your customs broker, file the CBP 7512, and stage product into a bonded warehouse so duty is deferred until the entry is ready.

Get bonded drayage priced before the customs clock runs

For in-bond containers, send the port, terminal, container number, last free day, bonded warehouse address, and customs broker contact. We will price the bonded move, confirm CBP 7512 timing, and flag demurrage or per diem exposure before dispatch.

Related planning pages: Long Beach in-bond drayage, Houston drayage, and port drayage fees.

Request a bonded drayage quote

Who uses our bonded drayage

  • Importers with seasonal demand (hold inventory until sell-through)
  • Re-exporters moving through US to Mexico, Canada, or Caribbean
  • Retailers deferring duty on large Q4 inventory receipts
  • Freight forwarders coordinating deferred entries for clients
  • Commodity traders holding product pending price movements
  • Importers consolidating before final customs entry

Get a bonded drayage quote

Call (516) 252-3395 or submit a drayage quote request. Mention “bonded” and we’ll route to the right carrier network. 24/7 for urgent port pulls.

For LA/Long Beach-specific scenarios where bonded carriers are most often needed, see our Long Beach customs holds guide.

Related

Get a quote in 30 minutes

Tell us about your container — we answer 24/7 for urgent port pulls and quote within 30 minutes during business hours.