Beyond the port: Why should exporters add inland to ocean contracts? (Export-focused)

The trade landscape for shippers has shifted. Exporting freight today isn’t what it used to be. What was once a relatively linear flow is now a far more complex, fragmented game.

Exporters in the US are navigating an increasingly volatile network of inland bottlenecks, port congestion, fluctuating trucking capacity, vessel cut-offs, and evolving customs processes. And while global trade has evolved, shippers still manage their inland logistics like it’s 2010—treating inland as a separate, secondary task instead of a core part of the export process.

This siloed, fragmented approach might have worked when supply chains were simpler, and margins were forgiving. Today, it can be a liability—one that can make or break vessel deadlines, disrupt international deliveries, or quietly drain profits through inefficiencies and missed connections.

Up ahead, we discuss why inland transportation is not just about filling a gap between factory and port—and how you can gain more control and predictability over your supply chains by bundling inland with your ocean contracts.

Why inland logistics is no longer an afterthought

For a long time, inland logistics was treated just as a side task—nothing more than a precursor to the “real” logistics leg: the ocean journey, and the assumption was simple: get the cargo to port, and the rest will follow. But that’s not how global logistics works now. Why? Because the inland leg has become one of the most unpredictable, resource-intensive, and risk-prone stages in the freight export process.

If you’re shipping out of the US today, you’re not just dealing with cargo. You are:

• Dodging supply chain bottlenecks and congestion
• Managing fluctuating drayage capacity
• Tackling unpredictable inland freight costs
• Dealing with port storage fees or rollovers due to mistimed inland arrivals
• Hoping your containers don’t get stuck somewhere between your warehouse and the vessel cut-off

These challenges aren’t just inconvenient, they have real consequences. When exporters miss connections between inland transport and port schedules, and scramble to rebook cargo due to inland delays, the downstream impacts can cascade into missed sailings, lost revenue, or penalties for delayed delivery. And with customers expecting more visibility and consistency, the stakes are even higher.

That’s why more shippers exporting their cargo need to rethink the role of inland logistics—not just for efficiency but to take back control of the full journey from origin to vessel.

The hidden costs of supply chain fragmentation when exporting

At first glance, managing inland and ocean legs separately might seem straightforward. But in reality, it creates a chain of disconnected, blind handoffs with 13-19% of logistics costs stemming from inefficient interactions in the US supply chain. Multiple logistics service providers, parallel timelines, separate systems—with each one, the risk of delay, cost, or miscommunication increases.

Here’s what fragmentation actually looks like on the ground:

• Production delays upstream, when trucks or rail aren’t available to move goods out of the warehouse.
• Containers missing vessel cut-offs, forcing costly rebookings or causing cargo to be rolled to the next sailing.
• Excess storage charges at the port, when early-arriving containers sit idle due to mismatched inland schedules.
• Last-minute schedule changes and fixes that eat into profit margins and overwhelm logistics and operations teams.
• Damaged international relationships when buyers face repeated delays or failed ETAs.

These aren’t edge cases; they’re recurring costs, both financial and reputational. And they add up quickly.

Top 5 hidden costs of fragmentation in export supply chains

1. Missed vessel cut-offs
2. Emergency freight costs
3. Storage + congestion fees
4. Internal inefficiencies
5. Reputational risk

Why you need to integrate inland with your export ocean contract

When you shift from fragmented models to integrated inland and ocean freight under one contract, you don’t just simplify the process—you get strategic alignment in your supply chain. By unifying what were once siloed legs of the journey, businesses gain tighter control over timelines, capacity, and coordination. That means fewer variables, fewer surprises, and a stronger ability to deliver on schedule. And the payoff goes far beyond reliability when every link in the chain connects to the next seamlessly.

Here’s how integration changes the export game:

• Capacity that’s aligned, not improvised: Integrated inland planning helps you avoid last-minute fire drills—like switching from rail to high-cost trucking to meet a vessel cut-off. With inland and ocean working as one plan, you gain upstream stability and fewer downstream surprises.
• Fewer moving parts, faster resolution: One partner means a unified plan and a single point of accountability. No more delays caused by disconnected vendors, cross-party miscommunication, or unclear ownership.
• Upstream control, downstream consistency: When your inland logistics is built into your ocean booking, your timeline works backward from the vessel departure—ensuring each step aligns with the actual deadline, not assumptions.
• Simplified compliance and documentation: Integrated planning improves the accuracy and timing of export paperwork, aligning with the actual cargo movement. It also reduces the risk of errors, delays, or customs slowdowns at the port.
• Free up internal bandwidth: With one provider managing both legs, your teams spend less time coordinating trucks and chasing updates—and more time on strategy, exceptions, and high-impact decisions.
• Stronger global relationships: Delivering consistently—and predictably—strengthens trust with overseas partners. It’s not just about moving containers. It’s about protecting your brand on the global stage.

In short, integrated logistics gives you control. Not just over freight, but over your ability to meet commitments, scale confidently, and turn logistics into a competitive edge—making your supply chain antifragile.

CY vs. SD: Choosing the right mode of ocean+inland integration

The way you integrate inland matters. And the mode you choose can either streamline the process or complicate it. In shipping terms, this choice is often between CY (Container Yard) and SD (Store Door) bookings. Also known as merchant haulage and carrier haulage respectively, each model carries different levels of control, risk, and coordination workload.

• Container Yard (CY) or Merchant Haulage
  CY bookings appeal to high-volume shippers with strong in-house logistics capabilities and a preference for direct control over inland routing. But that control also comes with added complexity. Exports assume full responsibility (and full risk) for coordinating schedules and securing inland capacity. Any delays, rate hikes, resource gaps, or scheduling issues need to be covered by the exporter.
• Store Door (SD) or Carrier Haulage
  SD bookings offer a fully managed solution. Inland and ocean are bundled under a single provider, like Maersk, ensuring vessel capacity, predictable scheduling, seamless transitions, and consistent service delivery. Many inland charges that usually appear as accessorial fees in a fragmented setup are already included in the SD rates, reducing the risk of surprise costs later. It also simplifies invoicing, reduces administrative overhead, and creates greater cost stability over time.

While CY might appear more economical upfront, the hidden costs of supply chain fragmentation—from delays and missed connections to lost business and team bandwidth—often outweigh the savings. SD helps eliminate those inefficiencies and brings greater visibility, connectivity, and predictability.

Integrated logistics: A smarter way to export freight

Exporting freight isn’t just about securing vessel space or delivering goods on time. It’s about building a supply chain that responds faster, plans smarter, and holds up under pressure—from the first inland mile to the final last-mile delivery.

That’s what inland integration really delivers:

• Not just efficiency, but resilience.
• Not just visibility, but alignment.
• Not just logistics that move cargo, but logistics that move with your business.

In a fragmented market, integration isn’t a convenience, it’s a competitive edge. And it’s not just about moving containers. It’s about moving smarter, faster, and with confidence—starting from the very first mile. Looking to explore how inland integration fits into your export strategy? Maersk’s integrated inland+ocean solutions are built for the complexity and opportunity of modern export supply chains. Connect with our team.

FAQs: Exporters often ask…

CY vs. SD: Strategic Comparison Grid