A pre-pull in drayage is when a trucker picks up an import container from the marine terminal and parks it at a nearby yard or warehouse before the day it is scheduled to be unloaded. The container is “pulled” early to beat the free-time clock and avoid demurrage, then delivered for live unloading or drop-off on the actual delivery date. It is one of the most common tools importers use to manage congestion at PortMiami and Port Everglades.
Why pre-pulls exist
Every ocean container gets a limited window of free time at the terminal before the steamship line starts charging demurrage (a daily penalty for leaving a box on the dock too long). When a warehouse is full, an appointment isn’t available, or a container becomes available late in the day, the importer risks blowing past that free time. A pre-pull solves this: the drayage carrier removes the container from the terminal while free time is still active and stores it on its own chassis or in its yard until the receiver is ready.
Pre-pull vs. live unload vs. drop-and-pick
With a live unload, the driver brings the container straight from the port to the dock, waits while it is unloaded, and returns the empty the same day. A drop-and-pick leaves the container at the warehouse for later unloading. A pre-pull sits in between: the box is pulled early specifically to stop the demurrage clock, then handled as a live or drop delivery later. Pre-pulls are most valuable when terminal free time and warehouse availability don’t line up.
What a pre-pull costs
A pre-pull typically adds a flat pre-pull fee plus daily ground rent or chassis usage for each day the container is stored off-dock. The math still usually favors the importer, because steamship-line demurrage is generally far more expensive per day than yard storage. The key is having a carrier with chassis and yard capacity ready to act fast. Go Freight runs 100+ company-owned trucks and its own chassis pool, plus a 104,000 sq. ft. bonded Miami warehouse, so pre-pulls can be staged without waiting on third-party equipment. Our AI drayage platform also predicts gate times at PortMiami and Port Everglades, which helps schedule pre-pulls before free time runs out.
When you should ask for a pre-pull
Consider a pre-pull when your free time is about to expire, when your warehouse can’t take the container today, when a vessel discharges a large block of containers at once, or when terminal appointments are scarce. Because Go Freight is asset-based and does not double-broker, the same company that pulls your box early is the one that delivers it, so accountability never gets handed off to an anonymous third party.
Frequently asked questions
Does a pre-pull stop demurrage charges?
Yes. Once the container leaves the terminal within its free-time window, the steamship line’s demurrage clock stops. You then pay yard storage or chassis rent instead, which is usually much cheaper per day.
Is a pre-pull the same as a chassis split?
No. A pre-pull is removing the loaded container early; a chassis split is a separate trip required when the chassis and container are stored in different locations at the terminal. They can both appear on the same drayage invoice but address different problems.
How early can a container be pre-pulled?
As soon as it is discharged, customs-released, and available at the terminal. Carriers watch availability so they can pull the box during free time rather than after charges begin.
Move your containers before the clock runs out
Go Freight’s asset-based fleet, owned chassis pool, and AI gate-time prediction help South Florida importers avoid demurrage with well-timed pre-pulls. Get a quote or call (786) 445-0150 to set up drayage at PortMiami and Port Everglades.