Toronto, Canada
Sea freight in Toronto
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Toronto, via Montreal and Halifax, rail from the US East Coast. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Toronto
- AirportToronto Pearson
YYZ - SeaportMontreal and Halifax, rail from the US East Coast
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is Canada's largest airport and its main air cargo gateway, with widebody passenger and freighter connections to Europe, Asia, Latin America and the US. John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM), south-west of Toronto, is a major cargo airport and a hub for domestic overnight freighter services. Toronto has no deep-sea container port of its own; ocean containers reach the region by rail from the Ports of Montreal and Halifax, or from US East Coast ports.
Highway 401 is the main east-west artery, linking Toronto with Windsor and Detroit to the west and Montreal to the east, with Highway 427, Highway 400 and the 407 ETR toll highway serving the airport area. The QEW leads to the Niagara crossings into New York State. CN and CPKC operate large intermodal terminals in Brampton and Vaughan, connecting Toronto with the ports and Western Canada.
Operational logistics facts for Toronto
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) | Widebody and freighter connections worldwide | Canada's largest air cargo gateway |
| Hamilton International Airport (YHM) | Freighter and express operations | Alternative cargo airport for southern Ontario |
| CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan intermodal terminals | Rail containers from Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver | Inland delivery of sea freight to Toronto |
| Highway 401 corridor | Road freight to Detroit, Montreal and the US | Direct road access across Ontario and to the border |
Industries in Toronto and how we support them
The Greater Toronto Area is the economic centre of Canada, with automotive assembly plants and suppliers across southern Ontario, a large pharmaceutical and life sciences sector in Mississauga and Toronto, food processing, and the country's financial centre. Many supply chains cross the US border daily. We support them with air freight under our own air waybills via YYZ, Next Flight Out for production-critical automotive parts, On-Board Courier for samples and documents, sea freight via Montreal or Halifax with rail delivery to Toronto, and road freight to and from the US. Customs data is prepared before arrival.
FCL and LCL via Montreal and Halifax, rail from the US East Coast
Full containers are booked directly with the shipping line; for smaller volumes we use LCL consolidation services. Pre-carriage from Toronto to Montreal and Halifax, rail from the US East Coast, or on-carriage after arrival, is arranged by road or rail as part of the same booking.
Customs clearance in Canada
Ziem network
Customs clearance in Canada is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from Canada we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in Canada need a business number with an import-export account and registration in CARM.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Toronto?
Usually Montreal and Halifax, rail from the US East Coast. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.