Drayage

Drayage is the local transport leg that connects a port or rail terminal to a warehouse, distribution centre, or container yard in the surrounding area. It is typically the first and last road transport movement in an intermodal shipment chain. Drayage distances are usually under 100 kilometres and are performed by local trucking companies using chassis or flatbed trailers equipped for container handling.

Despite the short distance, drayage is often a bottleneck in container logistics. Port congestion, limited appointment windows at terminals, traffic in port areas, and chassis availability can all cause delays. In Qatar, drayage from Hamad Port to the industrial zones and logistics parks in the Doha area is a critical link — delays at this stage can trigger demurrage charges and downstream fulfilment delays.

Drayage costs are influenced by distance from port, container size and weight, chassis rental fees, port access charges, waiting time at the terminal, and whether the move requires special equipment (reefer genset, overweight permit). Despite being a short-distance service, drayage costs per kilometre are higher than long-haul trucking due to the time spent waiting at congested port terminals.