A shipping container yard — often abbreviated CY — is a designated area where shipping containers are stored, staged, inspected, and managed between transportation legs. Container yards are the staging areas that keep the global container shipping system moving — without them, ports would overflow, containers would have nowhere to go between discharge and delivery, and the entire intermodal system would gridlock.
For shippers who manage international container freight, understanding how container yards work is essential for managing drayage costs, avoiding storage charges, and keeping your supply chain flowing.
Types of container yards
On-dock container yards
Located within the marine terminal itself. Containers are stacked here after being discharged from the vessel and before being picked up by drayage trucks. On-dock yards are managed by the terminal operator and are where demurrage charges accrue if containers aren't picked up within the allotted free time.
Off-dock container yards
Located near but outside the port terminal. These facilities provide overflow storage when on-dock yards are congested, pre-staging for export containers before they're gated into the terminal, and temporary storage for import containers that have been picked up from the terminal but aren't ready for final delivery. Off-dock yards charge their own storage fees, but these are typically lower than terminal demurrage rates.
Inland container depots (ICDs)
Container yards located inland, away from the port. ICDs serve as regional container staging points, often co-located with rail intermodal facilities. Containers can be drayed from the port to an ICD for storage, customs clearance, or distribution to final destinations in the surrounding region.
Empty container yards
Dedicated yards for storing empty containers awaiting repositioning or reuse. Ocean carriers maintain empty container yards near major ports to stage empties for export loading. Returning empty containers to the correct yard is part of the drayage process — and returning to the wrong yard can incur redirect charges.
How container yards fit into drayage
Every drayage move touches a container yard at some point. Import containers are picked up from the terminal's on-dock yard. Export containers are staged at an off-dock yard before being gated into the terminal. Empty containers are returned to designated empty yards after the freight is unloaded.
Understanding which yard your container is at, what the storage charges are, and what the operational hours and appointment requirements are is essential for managing drayage costs. Your drayage provider should be tracking this for you and optimizing the timing of pickups and returns to minimize storage exposure.
Container yard storage charges
Most container yards charge daily storage fees after an initial free time period. On-dock yards charge demurrage (assessed by the ocean carrier or terminal). Off-dock yards charge their own storage rates, which vary by facility and location but are typically $25-$75 per day per container — lower than terminal demurrage but still significant over multiple days.
The most effective way to minimize container yard storage charges is proactive drayage management — scheduling pickups and deliveries to minimize the time containers spend in yards, and returning empties promptly to avoid per-diem charges.
How Total Connection manages container yard logistics
We track container locations, storage charges, and free time windows across all yards involved in your drayage moves. Our team schedules pickups, deliveries, and empty returns to minimize your yard storage exposure and avoid unnecessary charges.
Call 732-817-0401 or request a quote.
