Port of Charleston drayage rates
Charleston splits its container volume across Wando Welch and the newer Leatherman terminal, and its drayage market is defined by the inland manufacturing it serves — the BMW and tyre plants up the I-26 corridor pull a steady flow of boxes well past the 60-mile ring toward Greenville and Spartanburg.
Base rate by container size and distance
| Container | 0-30 mi | 30-60 mi | 60-150 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20' standard | $306 | $412 | $650 |
| 40' / 40' HC | $360 | $485 | $765 |
| 45' HC | $396 | $534 | $842 |
How to read this. These are QuoteFleet's researched base drayage tariffs for Port of Charleston — a flat rate per container by distance ring, for the truck move only. They are an estimate band to sanity-check a quote against, not a market index, a spot rate, or an offer. Fuel, chassis, terminal fees and the accessorials listed below sit on top. Beyond 150 miles a move prices per-mile as linehaul rather than as drayage. Rates are USD for a standard dry container and move with fuel and market conditions.
Carrier supply at Port of Charleston
Live counts from our FMCSA carrier directory, for operators whose registered domicile puts this gateway nearest. Equipment flags are as reported to FMCSA.
Browse all carriers near Port of Charleston →
What sits on top of the base rate
Drayage invoices are rarely just the linehaul. These are the charges that most often appear, at our default schedule.
| Accessorial | Typical | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis Rental | $40 / day | Daily chassis rental while the chassis is out (1-day minimum; some lanes 2-day). |
| Chassis Split (per occurrence) | $100 | Trucker has to pull a chassis from a different yard than the container. Charged per occurrence. |
| Pre Pull | $145 | Pre-pull container from terminal to yard before delivery. Applies if the container is not delivered same trip. |
| Flip Fee | $200 | Flip / lift to transfer the container between chassis or reposition it. |
| PierPass / TMF | $36 | Off-hours port traffic mitigation fee (LA/LB). |
| Port Congestion Surcharge | $75 | Surcharge for unusually slow terminal conditions or congestion. |
| Triaxle (3-axle, heavy/overweight) | $85 / day | Triaxle chassis (3 axles) required for heavy or overweight container moves — typically loads over ~37,550 lbs. |
| Detention (over free time) | $99 / hr | Per-hour charge after 2 hr free at pickup or delivery. |
| Yard Storage (per night) | $45 / day | Per night after the first 24 hr in our yard; also applies to empties if unable to return. |
| Drop & Hook | $150 | Live load not possible — drop, hook, leave. |
| Hazmat surcharge | 18% of base | For hazardous materials shipments. |
| Reefer / Genset | $75 / day | Refrigerated container needs a running genset (per day). |
| In-Bond | $250 | Customs in-bond move — charged per container. |
Terminals
| Terminal | Operator | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Port of Charleston | South Carolina Ports Authority | Wando Welch Terminal, 1971 Wando Welch Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 |
Common questions
Does the Inland Port at Greer change the rate?
Yes, materially. Boxes railed to Inland Port Greer are drayed locally at the Greer end rather than trucked the full 200+ miles from Charleston, so compare the two routings before assuming a long dray.
Which terminal will my container be at?
Wando Welch handles most of the container volume, with Leatherman taking a growing share. The base ring is the same for both; the practical difference is gate hours and queue length.
How far up the I-26 corridor do these rings reach?
Columbia at roughly 110 miles is inside the 60-150 band. Greenville and Spartanburg are past it and price off a per-mile rate.
Next steps
Price a specific move with the free drayage rate calculator, browse carriers serving Port of Charleston, or see every carrier in South Carolina. New to the terminology? The freight glossary covers drayage, detention and demurrage and chassis splits.