Dry containers · Port drayage in Costa Rica
Container drayage in Costa Rica: watch it arrive.
We move 20’, 40’ and 40’ High Cube dry containers between Moín, Limón, Caldera and the Central Valley, on imports and exports. With an inspected unit, a verified driver and a link to follow the trip.
Moín and Caldera ↔ Central Valley
Open the planner →From pier to dock: the leg on wheels
Dry container drayage between Costa Rica’s ports and the Central Valley. On imports we pick up your container at Moín, Limón or Caldera and take it to your plant or warehouse. On exports we do the reverse: the empty arrives at your dock and the loaded container goes back to the port.
This is your service if the cargo travels in a shipping line’s dry container and the road leg starts or ends at a Costa Rican port.
| Move | Route | The date that sets the schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Import | Port → your plant or warehouse → empty return | The container’s last free day. |
| Export | Empty pickup → loading at your plant → gate-in at the port | The shipping line’s cut-off. |
| Inspection | Port → warehouse → port | The inspection appointment and the free days at the terminal. |
| Empties | Pickup of the empty container at the terminal or at the yard | The loading date or the equipment’s free days. |
This is not your service if…
- The cargo is temperature-controlled. It goes in refrigerated (reefer) containers, with a genset during the trip.
- The destination is in another country. From Costa Rica to Central America and Panama, cargo moves by regional dry van.
- The cargo is not in a container, or does not fit through its doors. See dry vans and flatbeds.
Is the container leaving the port in bond?The truck is the same; the paperwork changes. The trip to a bonded warehouse runs under customs control: see customs transit (in-bond). GoTruck is a licensed customs carrier, code CR02343.
Trip in, paperwork out: what is and is not included
Included
- Unit and driver. Tractor with container chassis and a verified driver, from our own equipment or from a partner carrier. Owned or subcontracted, the same standard.
- The road trip. From the port to your plant or warehouse on imports; from the empty pickup to gate-in at the port on exports.
- Inspection and empties. Port–warehouse–port moves for inspection, and empty container pickup.
- Checks before departure. 22-point unit inspection, driver verification and K9 inspection.
- Tracking. GPS and panic button, 24-hour monitoring center and one link per shipment to see the truck on the map.
- Customs seals checked. At every stop and at delivery.
Not included
- Customs clearance. Your customs broker handles the import or export formalities.
- Shipping line and terminal charges. Demurrage, container detention and storage are not the carrier’s: they are billed by whoever provides that service.
- Ocean freight and the booking. They are contracted with the shipping line or with your freight forwarder.
- Cargo permits. Sanitary permits, import permits (notas técnicas) and certificates are issued by the competent authority and provided by the cargo owner.
- VGM on exports. The verified gross mass is declared by the shipper.
- Cargo insurance. It is arranged per shipment and quoted with the freight.
20’, 40’ or High Cube: measure before you load
The container almost always belongs to the shipping line; the unit that moves it, tractor and chassis, is ours to provide, owned or from a partner carrier. These are the internal dimensions of dry containers: the low end of the range the shipping lines publish, so your plan does not come up short.
Closed dry containers
| Container | Interior (m)length × width × height | Door (m)width × height | Volumem³ | Tarekg | Payloadper plate, kg | Palletsnot stacked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20’ standard | 5.86 × 2.33 × 2.36 | 2.33 × 2.26 | 32.9 | 2,050–2,350 | 28,160–30,250 | 9–10 US11 Euro |
| 40’ standard | 12.01 × 2.33 × 2.36 | 2.33 × 2.26 | 67.2 | 3,640–3,780 | 26,670–28,870 | 20–21 US24–25 Euro |
| 40’ HC | 12.01 × 2.33 × 2.69 | 2.33 × 2.56 | 75.9 | 3,700–3,950 | 26,560–28,800 | 20–21 US24–25 Euro |
| 45’ HC | 13.53 × 2.33 × 2.69 | 2.33 × 2.56 | 85.5 | 4,650–5,050 | 25,600–27,850 | — |
Last reviewed: September 2026. Typical values from shipping line spec sheets; they change with the series and the manufacturer, and the plate of the assigned unit governs. Pallet counts come from secondary sources, with pallets not stacked: they depend on the stowage plan. View the 8 sources
SIECA — Acuerdo Centroamericano sobre pesos y dimensiones, 2014 version; Hapag-Lloyd — Container Specification (03/2016); ONE — Container Specifications; MSC — Dry Cargo; Maersk — Equipment flyer; Maersk — Central America transport weight regulations (Dec 04, 2025); Seaboard Marine — Equipment (2020); iContainers — How many pallets fit in a container.
The plate payload is what the container itself can take: plate rating of 30,480 or 32,500 kg depending on the series; the unit’s CSC plate governs. It is not what you can carry on the road: the law sets that limit, and it is in the weight section. To see how many pallets fit and which limit is reached first, use the load calculator.
High Cube: height is tight.Height on the road (indicative calculation): on a gooseneck chassis it stands at ≈ 4.115 m, 3.5 cm below the 4.15 m maximum of the Central American Agreement; on a standard flatbed (≈ 4.41 m) it exceeds it. Costa Rica sets the same maximum height: 4.15 m.
Open top and flat rack: reference figures
If your container is a 45’, an open top or a flat rack, say so in your request, with the dimensions and the weight of the piece: equipment and permits are confirmed before quoting.
20’ and 40’ open top and flat rack: dimensions, tare and payload
| Container | Roof opening or usable dimensions | Tarekg | Payloadper plate, kg | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20’ open top | Roof opening: 5.34 to 5.68 m long and 2.23 to 2.25 m wide, depending on the shipping line. | 2,170–2,500 | 28,130–30,200 | Cargo loaded from above by crane |
| 40’ open top | Roof opening: 11.55 to 11.80 m long and 2.21 to 2.23 m wide, depending on the shipping line. | 3,850–4,050 | 26,600–28,500 | Long cargo loaded from above by crane |
| 20’ flat rack | Usable dimensions: 5.57 to 5.64 m long between posts, 2.19 to 2.23 m wide and 2.21 to 2.24 m from the floor to the top of the posts. | 2,740–3,100 | 31,260–42,100 | Machinery and heavy pieces |
| 40’ flat rack | Usable dimensions: 11.65 to 11.66 m long between posts; width of 2.15 to 2.37 m depending on the series; from the floor to the top of the posts, 1.96 m in the 8’6” and 2.25 to 2.26 m in the High Cube. | 5,200–6,250 | 38,800–54,200 | Machinery and long or heavy pieces |
Last reviewed: September 2026. Typical values from shipping line spec sheets; the plate of the assigned unit governs. On a flat rack, the maximum payload assumes the weight is spread over the whole floor. View the 4 sources
Hapag-Lloyd — Container Specification (03/2016); ONE — Container Specifications; Maersk — Equipment flyer; DSV — Open top container.
If the cargo sticks out of the container, it is no longer a regular trip: the oversize cargo and special permit rules in the weight section apply. And if the piece is not in a container, see dry vans and flatbeds.
The full spec sheets, with the reefer and the tank container, are in container types and dimensions.
Weight decides: a 2-axle or a 3-axle chassis
The container does not travel alone: it rides on a chassis, and the chassis is hooked to a tractor. The law does not limit the cargo; it limits the weight of the whole combination and of each axle group. That is why the same container can be legal on one chassis and overweight on another.
39t
Maximum gross weight with a 2-axle chassis (T3-S2)45.5t
Maximum gross weight with a 3-axle chassis (T3-S3)4.15m
Maximum height of the vehicle with its load2.60m
Maximum width| Chassis | Combination | Maximum gross weight | Axle limitchassis group | Chassis tare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-axle chassisTandem axle | T3-S25 axles, with a 3-axle tractor | 39 t6 + 16.5 + 16.5 t | 16.5 t | 2,858–6,000 kg |
| 3-axle chassisTridem axle | T3-S36 axles, with a 3-axle tractor | 45.5 t6 + 16.5 + 23 t | 23 t | 3,719–8,000 kg |
Last reviewed: September 2026. Costa Rica’s limits under Executive Decree 31363-MOPT (Reglamento de Circulación por Carretera con base en el Peso y las Dimensiones de los Vehículos de Carga), as amended. They apply with dual tires; with single or mixed tires they are lower. Chassis tare is a reference range from shipping lines and manufacturers, not that of a particular unit: it is confirmed with the assigned equipment. View the 8 sources
SINALEVI (PGR) — Decreto Ejecutivo 31363-MOPT, version 9 of 9 (Jul 30, 2026); Imprenta Nacional — La Gaceta No. 13 of Jan 19, 2005 (Decreto 32191, Tables 1 to 5); SINALEVI (PGR) — Ley 9078 de Tránsito, with the 2026 table of fines; SIECA — Situación actual de los protocolos (status of the protocols, in force by country); SIECA — Acuerdo Centroamericano sobre pesos y dimensiones, 2014 version; Stoughton — Chassis; Max-Atlas — 40’ GN Tandem; Cheetah Chassis — 40’ Gooseneck 2-Axle.
- 2-axle chassis. It has a tandem axle at the rear. It is the lighter chassis, and it works as long as the combination stays within the gross weight in the table.
- 3-axle chassis. It has a tridem axle at the rear, which takes 6.5 t more than the tandem. It is the equipment for the heavy container. The trade-off: the chassis itself weighs more.
- Which one is assigned depends on the container’s gross weight: the cargo plus its tare. That is why weight is the first figure in a quote.
We work with our own equipment (3-axle chassis) and with a network of verified partner carriers. Owned or subcontracted, the same standard.
How much cargo is left for you: subtract tractor, chassis and tare
From the maximum gross weight, subtract the tractor, the chassis and the container’s tare. What is left is the cargo. It is a theoretical ceiling: the weight the assigned unit can take is confirmed when quoting, before dispatch.
| Container | With a 2-axle chassis39 t gross weight | With a 3-axle chassis45.5 t gross weight | Payloadper plate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20’ standard | ≈ 25,000 kg | ≈ 28,200–28,300 kgcap: the container’s plate | 28,160–30,250 kg |
| 40’ standard | ≈ 23,600 kg | ≈ 26,600–28,800 kgcap: the container’s plate | 26,670–28,870 kg |
| 40’ HC | ≈ 23,400 kg | ≈ 26,600–28,800 kgcap: the container’s plate | 26,560–28,800 kg |
| 45’ HC | —confirm with your GoTruck contact | —confirm with your GoTruck contact | 25,600–27,850 kg |
Last reviewed: September 2026. Indicative estimate, not a legal limit: it subtracts reference tares for tractor, chassis and container, which change with every unit. The container’s plate and the limit of each axle group govern, and the axle-group limit is usually reached before total gross weight. Confirm the weight with your GoTruck contact before loading. View the 7 sources
SINALEVI (PGR) — Decreto Ejecutivo 31363-MOPT, version 9 of 9 (Jul 30, 2026); Imprenta Nacional — La Gaceta No. 13 of Jan 19, 2005 (Decreto 32191, Tables 1 to 5); SINALEVI (PGR) — Ley 9078 de Tránsito, with the 2026 table of fines; SIECA — Situación actual de los protocolos (status of the protocols, in force by country); Crowley — Guatemala export weight restrictions (Mar 16, 2015); ONE — Container Specifications; Seaboard Marine — Equipment (2020).
How each estimate was calculated
- 20’ standard, T3-S2. 39,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 2,300 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala).
- 20’ standard, T3-S3. With 45,500 kg and a tractor and 3-axle chassis of 12,700 kg, the calculation exceeds the container plate: the range is the maximum plate payload according to ONE and Seaboard Marine spec sheets. On a 20’ the axle group limit is usually reached first.
- 40’ standard, T3-S2. 39,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,700 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala).
- 40’ standard, T3-S3 · 40’ HC, T3-S3. With 45,500 kg and a tractor and 3-axle chassis of 12,700 kg, the calculation exceeds the container plate: the range is the maximum plate payload, combined for 40’ and 40’ HC depending on the equipment (ONE and Seaboard Marine spec sheets).
- 40’ HC, T3-S2. 39,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,900 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala).
Indicative estimate, not a legal limit: the container plate and the limit of each axle group govern, and the axle group limit is usually reached before the gross total; the total assumes the front axle loaded to its maximum, which rarely happens. It is confirmed with the actual tare of the equipment.
If the scale says otherwise
Tolerance, excess, fine and oversize cargo: Costa Rica’s rules
- Tolerance. 500 kg on vehicles or combinations with 2 to 4 axles and 1,000 kg on those with 5 axles or more, per axle or axle group; it is not cumulative and does not allow exceeding the maximum authorized weight; no fine and no transloading (Art. 6).
- If there is excess weight. Overweight detected: the vehicle may not continue and the excess is transloaded at the weighing site or at customs, at the carrier’s expense (Arts. 35-37).
- Penalty. Overweight fine: 122,597.53 colones as of January 1, 2026 (Law 9078, Art. 145(b)); the amount is updated every January 1.
- Cargo that overhangs. Cargo may overhang up to 1 m at the rear and 0.40 m per side without exceeding 2.60 m in total width; nothing beyond the front bumper (Art. 12).
- Oversize cargo. Special permit valid for a maximum of 3 business days and for a single origin-destination trip (Arts. 25-27). Indivisible cargo requires an additional permit and, if the total weight exceeds 51 t, technical authorization from MOPT (Art. 28).
- Very wide or very long cargo. Traffic Police escort and a pilot vehicle if the cargo exceeds 3.65 m in width or 22 m in length (Art. 56).
Last reviewed: September 2026. Costa Rica’s rules under Executive Decree 31363-MOPT (Reglamento de Circulación por Carretera con base en el Peso y las Dimensiones de los Vehículos de Carga), as amended. The authority applies them and they can change without notice; the fine is updated every year. View the 4 sources
SINALEVI (PGR) — Decreto Ejecutivo 31363-MOPT, version 9 of 9 (Jul 30, 2026); Imprenta Nacional — La Gaceta No. 13 of Jan 19, 2005 (Decreto 32191, Tables 1 to 5); SINALEVI (PGR) — Ley 9078 de Tránsito, with the 2026 table of fines; SIECA — Situación actual de los protocolos (status of the protocols, in force by country).
Is the container continuing overland to another country?The math changes. The Central American Agreement sets 37 t and 41 t for the same combinations, and each country enforces its own regulation. The full table is in weights and dimensions by country.
Moín and Caldera: two coasts, one Central Valley
Moín and Limón on the Caribbean, Caldera on the Pacific. From both coasts, the container travels to and from these areas:
Moín Container Terminal (TCM)
Caribbean coast
153km to San José
Reference distance
Highway
National Route 32
Puerto Caldera
Pacific coast
76km to San José
Reference distance
Highway
National Route 27; alternate for heavy vehicles: Cambronero
Operator and pickup at Moín and Limón
Operator
APM Terminals Moín
To schedule the pickup
Online appointments through TERMPoint (web and iOS and Android apps): termpoint.apmterminals.com. The operator states it runs 24/7, 365 days a year; gate hours and appointment windows are not published.
Operator and pickup at Caldera
Operator
Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera (SPC) and Sociedad Portuaria Granelera de Caldera (SPGC), concessionaires; port authority: INCOP
To schedule the pickup
Entry requests are filed 48 hours in advance, on business days; inquiries to permisosingreso@spcaldera.com. Gate hours: not published by INCOP or SPC.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Reference distances from the port pages: they are not travel times, and the route planner, which measures on the map, can differ by a few kilometers. Appointments, gate hours and entry requirements change without notice: confirm them with the terminal operator and with your GoTruck contact. View the 8 sources (some in Spanish)
INCOP — Puerto Caldera; INCOP — proyecto de modernización de Caldera; APM Terminals Moín — operator’s website; APM Terminals Moín — terminal profile; Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera — operator’s website; Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera — port and entry requirements; Globalvía Ruta 27 — highway concessionaire; PMA/WFP LCA — Costa Rica, Limón/Moín port complex.
The route planner gives the kilometers on the map: Moín – San José and Caldera – San José.
What can slow the trip
On these two routes, the clock is set by the terminal, the mountain and the restrictions on heavy vehicles. Confirm each one before setting the date.
Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in the Greater San José area (GAM)
Executive Decree 38238-MOPT restricts cargo vehicles over 6 t, Monday to Friday, at the hours and on the routes set in its table; the technical study covered Routes 1, 2, 3, 27 and 32. There are exemptions, perishables among them, and the decree provides for prohibiting entry into San José on holidays and special dates. The minister can suspend it, as happened in October 2022 because of route closures. Confirm the current hours and road sections.
Validity or date of the data
Decree published in La Gaceta 80 of April 28, 2014; amended in La Gaceta 196 of October 14, 2022. Hours, road sections and enforcement in 2026 not verified.
Romería pilgrimage to Cartago (August 1 and 2)
During the pilgrimage, the MOPT closes the Florencio del Castillo highway (Route 2), from Hacienda Vieja to the La Lima junction, to heavy vehicles and to vehicles carrying hazardous materials. In 2026 it applied on August 1 and 2. Confirm the dates and hours each year.
Validity or date of the data
Annual measure; latest MOPT announcement: July 29, 2026. Hours to be confirmed in each year’s announcement.
Route 32: closures on the mountain section
Closures for landslides, and preventive closures at dusk when there is a risk of falling material; there is no fixed night-closure schedule. When the route closes, the alternate for heavy vehicles is Route 10, via Turrialba, under traffic control.
Validity or date of the data
According to press reports from October 2024 and February 2026.
Route 27: heavy-vehicle detour via Cambronero
The roadway sank at km 56 (Coyolar de Orotina) on May 27, 2026, leaving the road open to light vehicles only; heavy vehicles used Cambronero until passage was restored in both directions on July 6, 2026.
Validity or date of the data
A past incident, already resolved, according to press reports from May and July 2026.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Dated data, from official and press sources; the hours and the road sections of the GAM restriction could not be verified and are therefore not published. Confirm the state of the route with your GoTruck contact before scheduling the load. View the 8 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
MOPT Costa Rica, Decreto Ejecutivo 38238-MOPT (La Gaceta 80, 28-abr-2014); MOPT Costa Rica, Decreto 43735, reforma al artículo 5 (La Gaceta 196, 14-oct-2022); MOPT Costa Rica, Resolución 2022-001349 (La Gaceta 201, 21-oct-2022); MOPT Costa Rica, noticia del 29-jul-2026; El Observador — Ruta 32 reabre y vuelve a cerrar en la noche (10-feb-2026); El Observador — Ruta 32 cerrada y rutas alternas (13-oct-2024); El Observador — Ruta 27 reabierta en Orotina solo para livianos (30-may-2026); El Observador — Paso para todo vehículo en Orotina (3-jul-2026).
Seven steps: from request to empty return
- You send us the container details
Port, destination, size, gross weight and the date that sets the schedule: the last free day on imports, the shipping line’s cut-off on exports. We reply with equipment, route and price.
- We assign unit and driver
Owned or from a verified partner carrier, with a 2-axle or 3-axle chassis depending on the weight. Before the trip you receive the driver and unit details, and the tracking link.
- Inspection before departure
22-point checklist on the unit, driver verification and K9 inspection. A unit that does not pass does not load.
- Pickup at the terminal
With the container released and the appointment set, the driver picks it up and the container number and the customs seals are checked against the documents. On exports, this step is the empty pickup wherever the shipping line indicates.
- On the road, monitored
GPS and panic button, authorized routes and stops, 24-hour monitoring center. You follow the truck with the link; status reports go out at the frequency we agree on.
- Delivery at your plant
The customs seals are checked and the container is unloaded, or loaded on exports, within the agreed free time. Customs seals and proof of delivery stay in the trip file.
- Trip close-out
On imports, the empty is returned to the port, yard or depot the shipping line indicates; until then container detention keeps running. On exports, the loaded container enters the terminal with the shipping line’s cut-off as the deadline.
Owned or subcontracted: the same standard
22points
Unit inspection before loading24hours
Monitoring center, with GPS and panic button1link
Per shipment, to follow the truck on the map- Before loading: 22-point unit inspection, driver verification (background, license, alcohol and drug test) and K9 inspection. Owned or subcontracted.
- On the road: GPS and panic button, authorized routes and stops, 24-hour monitoring center.
- For you: one tracking link per shipment, with the live map and the trip milestones, that opens with no username or password.
No papers, no pickup: send us this first
A missing document leaves the container at the terminal while the free days run. This is the list for a container leaving the port for a warehouse or a bonded warehouse within Costa Rica.
Checklist
- Copy of the bill of lading (B/L): number, date and consignee as shown on the manifest.
- Copy of the commercial invoice: number, date and value.
- Description of the goods (nature, trade name, type of packaging), number of packages and gross weight in kg.
- Container number and the numbers of the seals it arrived with.
- Exact destination: name and code of the bonded warehouse, controlling customs office and the customs regime the cargo will enter.
- Permits, import permits (notas técnicas) or sanitary certificates if the goods are regulated, and notice of any hold.
- Notice if the cargo is refrigerated, frozen, toxic or hazardous.
- Notice if the cargo is oversize or cannot travel in a closed, sealed unit.
- Packing list, if the goods are mixed and the invoice does not detail the contents of each package (customs may require it; Ministry of Finance manual of 2021).
- Estimated pickup date: the transit must start within 72 calendar hours of acceptance of the declaration, and it may require an electronic seal (seal: Ministry of Finance manual of 2021).
Last reviewed: September 2026. Indicative list, built from Costa Rica’s customs law and regulation and the Ministry of Finance procedures manual. Confirm the documents for your cargo with your GoTruck contact and with your customs broker. View the 5 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Reglamento a la Ley General de Aduanas de Costa Rica, Decreto 44051-H (SINALEVI, 2023); Ley General de Aduanas de Costa Rica, Ley 7557 (SINALEVI, versión vigente al 30-set-2026); Manual de Procedimientos Aduaneros, Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica (edición de febrero de 2021); RECAUCA, Resolución 224-2008 COMIECO (texto de 2008 en FAOLEX; reformas posteriores no cotejadas); Delfino.cr: Hacienda alista cambios al DUA para tránsito aduanero (13-jul-2026).
The pickup documents, one by one
B/L · Bill of lading
What it is
Document of title to the goods and ocean transport contract.
Who issues it
The shipping line or the consolidator. For pickup at the port, the customer gives a copy to the carrier.
When it is needed
When the cargo arrived from overseas and continues by land, in domestic or international transit. In Costa Rica its number and date are data of the transit declaration and the copy is attached; in the DUCA-T it is attached in overseas operations.
Transit or transfer DUA and “viaje” (Costa Rica)
What it is
National declaration for moving cargo under customs control within Costa Rica. The “viaje” (trip) is the electronic record that controls the start and end of each move between two locations; its receipt travels with the unit.
Who issues it
The licensed customs carrier or a customs broker, by electronic transmission. The viaje is generated by the customs system (TICA, according to the 2021 manual).
When it is needed
By law, the transit must start within 72 calendar hours of acceptance of the declaration (Ley General de Aduanas, art. 140). Indicative, according to the Ministry of Finance manual of February 2021 (validity in 2026 not confirmed): from port to a temporary parking facility a viaje is enough; from port to a bonded warehouse a transfer DUA (same jurisdiction) or a transit DUA (another jurisdiction) is required. From the port to the temporary parking facility or to the bonded warehouse in the same jurisdiction, the run must not exceed one hour. The system indicates, based on risk, whether the unit carries an electronic seal; between bonded warehouses it always does.
Customs seals
What it is
Security devices that close the unit during transit: seals, mechanical or electronic customs seals (marchamos) and customs stamps. They carry the ISO code of the country and a unique number, and are single-use, except for reusable electronic ones.
Who issues it
They are acquired and distributed by customs or by whoever customs authorizes; the cost is paid by the interested party. In Costa Rica the electronic seal can be supplied by approved private companies.
When it is needed
In customs transit (in-bond): the seal of the customs office of departure is valid in the other countries for the whole route, and only customs can break it or authorize breaking it. The regional regulation does not impose a mandatory electronic seal; in Costa Rica, transfers and transits use an electronic seal as determined by Costa Rica’s Directorate General of Customs (Ley General de Aduanas, art. 141 bis).
Last reviewed: September 2026. The general rule of customs regulations, not advice for a particular cargo. Your customs broker confirms which declaration applies to your container. View the 6 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Manual del usuario del portal de captura DUCA-T, versión 4.5 (SIECA, agosto de 2026); RECAUCA, Resolución 224-2008 COMIECO (texto de 2008 en FAOLEX; reformas posteriores no cotejadas); Reglamento a la Ley General de Aduanas de Costa Rica, Decreto 44051-H (SINALEVI, 2023); Ley General de Aduanas de Costa Rica, Ley 7557 (SINALEVI, versión vigente al 30-set-2026); Manual de Procedimientos Aduaneros, Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica (edición de febrero de 2021); Reglamento sobre el Régimen de Tránsito Aduanero Internacional Terrestre (anexo de la Resolución 480-2023 COMIECO-EX, vigente desde el 16-may-2024).
On exports, two dates rule.The shipping line’s documentation cut-off and its cargo cut-off. Send us both with the booking, and have the verified gross mass (VGM) ready: without it the container does not ship.
All the overland transport documents, with who issues each one, are in documents: DUCA-T, waybill (carta de porte) and customs seals. The DUCA-T is the Central American single transit declaration.
Same port, different price: what you can control
Two containers with the same port and the same destination can be priced differently. These are the factors that move the price of a drayage move, and what helps control each one.
Weight
Gross weight decides whether the container rides on a 2-axle or a 3-axle chassis. If it weighs more than declared, the unit risks being held at the weigh station until the excess is transloaded.
What helps
Declare the actual gross weight when you request the quote, and check it in the load calculator.
Waiting time (truck detention)
A truck held at the gate, at your dock or in the yard cannot make another trip. Past the agreed free time, the wait is billed as truck detention.
What helps
Have the dock, the crew and the forklift ready at the agreed time, and the container released before the unit leaves.
Terminal appointment and queue
A missed appointment or a long line at the gate leaves the unit idle, and the pickup can move to the next day.
What helps
Confirm the appointment, the release and the documents before dispatching the truck.
Empty return
The empty goes back to the port, yard or depot the shipping line indicates. If that is far from the delivery point, it is one more leg.
What helps
Ask the shipping line for the return point before quoting, and unload within the free days.
Inspection and extra moves
A container that has to go to a warehouse for inspection and back to the port adds legs and waiting time.
What helps
Tell us in the request if the cargo is going for inspection or has a hold.
Customs and documents
A document with errors or a physical inspection keeps the container at the terminal while the free days run.
What helps
Send complete documents before pickup. The list is in documents and customs seals.
Route and restrictions
A closure on Route 32 or a time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles lengthens the trip or moves it to another day.
What helps
Check what can slow the trip before setting the loading or delivery date.
Season
At harvest peaks and at year-end there is usually more cargo than available equipment, and the lines at the ports get longer.
What helps
Book ahead in peak season.
Four charges that get confused
Only one is the carrier’s. The other three are billed by another company and run even if the truck arrives on time.
Truck detention (estadía, sobrestadía del camión)Billed by the carrier
A land carrier’s charge when the truck, the chassis or the driver is held beyond the time agreed for loading or unloading. The free time and the conditions are agreed in each quote. In ocean trade, “estadía” and “sobrestadía” refer to the days the vessel waits; here the word is used in its road transport sense.
Demurrage (demora)Billed by the shipping line
A shipping line charge for the full container that stays inside the terminal beyond the free days. For imports it is counted from discharge from the vessel until the container leaves through the gate.
Container detention (detención)Billed by the shipping line
A shipping line charge for the use of the container outside the terminal beyond the free days. For imports it is counted from when it leaves the port full until it is returned empty.
Terminal storage (almacenaje portuario)Billed by the port terminal
A terminal charge for occupying space in the port. Depending on the shipping line, it may be included in its demurrage tariff or billed separately. General concept: the conditions at each port are confirmed with the terminal.
Last reviewed: September 2026. General concepts. Free days, rates and conditions are set by each shipping line, each terminal and each quote. View the 4 sources
FHWA (US): Freight Professional Development Glossary; Federal Maritime Commission (FMC): Detention and Demurrage; Maersk: What is demurrage and detention in shipping for buyers? (2023, updated in 2025); Hapag-Lloyd: Detention and Demurrage Tariff Guide for the United States (May 2026).
How each period is counted and how to avoid the charge, in detention and demurrage.
Before you ask for a quote: weight, appointments and empties
What is container drayage and what does this service cover?
It is truck transport over short distances between the port and a plant, warehouse or yard. With GoTruck it covers the road trip of 20’, 40’ and 40’ High Cube dry containers between Moín, Limón or Caldera and the Central Valley, on imports and exports, plus port–warehouse–port moves for inspection and empty pickup. Customs clearance is handled by your customs broker.
Which ports in Costa Rica do you pick up from and deliver to?
On both coasts: Moín and Limón, on the Caribbean, and Caldera, on the Pacific, to and from the Central Valley (the Greater San José area, Coyol, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago). For reference, San José is 153 km from Moín and 76 km from Caldera. See the port pages for Moín and Limón and for Caldera.
How much weight can a 20’ or a 40’ container carry by road in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica’s regulation allows 39 t of gross weight with a 2-axle chassis and 45.5 t with a 3-axle chassis, counting tractor, chassis, container and cargo. As an estimate, a 2-axle chassis leaves ≈ 25,000 kg of cargo in a 20’ and ≈ 23,600 kg in a 40’; with 3 axles, the container’s plate sets the cap. These are indicative values: check the weight table and confirm with your GoTruck contact before loading.
How long does a container take from Moín or Caldera to the Central Valley?
We do not publish a fixed time: the trip depends on the appointment and the line at the terminal, on the state of the route and on the restrictions on heavy vehicles. As a legal ceiling, not as a trip estimate: if the container moves under customs transit (in-bond), the maximum driving time is 8 hours between the Limón and Central customs offices, and 6 hours between the Caldera and Central customs offices. Ask for the range for your date when you request a quote.
What is the difference between truck detention, demurrage, container detention and storage?
They are four charges from three different companies: truck detention is billed by the carrier, when the truck waits beyond the agreed free time; demurrage and container detention, by the shipping line; storage, by the terminal. Demurrage is for the full container that is still at the terminal after the free days; container detention, for the one that left and did not come back empty on time. The detail is in detention and demurrage.
Who returns the empty container, and where?
The shipping line indicates the port, yard or depot where the empty is returned, and the container detention period runs until then. At Moín, empty returns have their own appointment type. Ask the shipping line for the return point before quoting, and ask that the quote say whether it includes that leg.
Is an appointment needed to pick up the container, and how far ahead should I let you know?
At the Moín Container Terminal the appointment is managed in TERMPoint, with appointment types for imports, exports and empties. At Caldera, the operator states that truck entry requests are filed 48 hours in advance, on business days. Tell us as soon as there is an arrival date and a last free day, so we can schedule the unit before demurrage starts.
Do you move export containers?
Yes: we pick up the empty container where the shipping line indicates, position it at your plant for loading and take it to the port, with the shipping line’s cut-off as the deadline. The shipper handles the booking with the shipping line and the verified gross mass (VGM), without which the container does not ship. Send us the cut-off with your request.
Have a container to move? Send us the details.
Port, destination, size, gross weight and the date that sets the schedule. We reply with equipment, route and price.