Charlotte, United States
Sea freight in Charlotte
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Charlotte, via Ports of Charleston and Wilmington. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Charlotte
- AirportCharlotte Douglas
CLT - SeaportPorts of Charleston and Wilmington
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is the largest airport in the Carolinas and a major hub for American Airlines, with transatlantic widebody flights that carry belly cargo as well as freighter operations. A Norfolk Southern intermodal terminal is located on airport land, combining air and rail at one site. By sea, Charlotte is served by the Port of Charleston in South Carolina and the Port of Wilmington in North Carolina, both reachable by road; the Inland Port Greer in upstate South Carolina connects to Charleston by rail.
I-77 and I-85 cross in Charlotte, with the I-485 ring road around the city. I-85 links Charlotte with Atlanta and the automotive plants of upstate South Carolina, while I-77 leads to Columbia and towards Charleston. The Norfolk Southern intermodal terminal at the airport and CSX rail services connect Charlotte with the coastal ports.
Operational logistics facts for Charlotte
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | Belly capacity on transatlantic flights, freighters | Largest airport in the Carolinas |
| Norfolk Southern intermodal terminal at CLT | Rail containers from coastal ports | Air and rail at one location |
| Ports of Charleston and Wilmington | FCL/LCL containers | Two sea freight options within trucking distance |
| I-85 automotive corridor | Automotive and tyre manufacturing | Road access to plants in the Carolinas |
Industries in Charlotte and how we support them
Charlotte is one of the largest banking centres in the US and the headquarters location of a major energy company, while the wider region is home to NASCAR racing teams and motorsport suppliers. Upstate South Carolina, along I-85, has large automotive and tyre plants. We support these supply chains with air freight under our own air waybills via CLT, Next Flight Out for production-critical automotive and energy equipment parts, On-Board Courier for IT equipment and motorsport components, and sea freight through Charleston or Wilmington. For temporary imports of racing equipment, we prepare the customs documents in advance.
FCL and LCL via Ports of Charleston and Wilmington
Full containers are booked directly with the shipping line; for smaller volumes we use LCL consolidation services. Pre-carriage from Charlotte to Ports of Charleston and Wilmington, or on-carriage after arrival, is arranged by road or rail as part of the same booking.
Customs clearance in the United States
Ziem network
Customs clearance in the United States 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 the United States we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in the United States need an importer of record number and, for most formal entries, a customs bond.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Charlotte?
Usually Ports of Charleston and Wilmington. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.