Your Essential Guide to Oahu and Honolulu Freight Shipping

When you’re sending freight to or from Oahu, understanding all the factors at play can save you both time and money.  

Below, we’ll show you everything you need to know about moving Oahu freight, including shipments headed to and from Honolulu. You’ll discover how to choose the right mode for your cargo, based on what matters more to you: cost or speed. We’ll also show you how to more effectively manage freight pick-ups and deliveries all around the island—Waikiki, Honolulu, Kailua, Kapolei, and beyond.  

Our tips will give you the knowledge you need to optimize your Oahu logistics—and create a freight plan that’s right for your budget. 

#1: Choose Your Shipping Mode Carefully

When it comes to Oahu freight, you’ll have two modes to choose from:

1. Air freight
2. Ocean freight

Each mode has its pros and cons, so you’ll want to weigh them carefully.

Air Freight

Speed: The fastest mode available. Air freight deliveries to and from Oahu can take as little as a couple of days. (Or faster, depending on the service level you’re willing to pay for!)

Cost: Among the most expensive, especially when compared to ocean freight. Choose air freight when the timeline is more important than the cost—or if you want to make sure your shipment is subject to minimal handling.

Best for: Time-sensitive, high-value freight. Shipping via air freight comes with weight restrictions, so lightweight freight is best suited for air freight.

Ideal Commodities: Electronics, precision instruments; textiles and leather; pharmaceuticals; high-end accessories like handbags and jewelry; fresh meat and seafood; and medical/surgical equipment.

Oahu Freight Tip: In addition to weight limits, air freight is also subject to size restrictions. Shipments bigger than 20’ long, 8’ high, and 8’ wide will be challenging to move via air. To ship items in excess of these dimensions, look to ocean freight.

Ocean Freight

Speed: Slower, as compared to air freight. Transit time for moving freight from West Coast ports to Honolulu Harbor is ~5 days. Add a few days on both ends for freight cut-offs, loading, unloading, and delivery to calculate an accurate arrival date.  

Cost: One of the most cost-effective freight methods available. Choose ocean freight when budget is your biggest priority, and you can afford to wait a little longer to receive your freight.  

Best for: Moving freight at the lowest cost available. Additionally, if you’re moving heavy, oversized, or hazardous freight, ocean freight may be your only choice. 

Ideal Commodities: All kinds of freight of all sizes, including heavy freight, oversized freight, hazardous freight, construction equipment, and more. Additionally, flexible options are available for shipments of all sizes. (More on that below!) 

#2: Explore Ocean Freight Consolidations for Smaller Shipments

When it comes to ocean freight, full container load (FCL) shipments aren’t your only option for Oahu freight.

Less-than-container load (LCL) service offers a cost-effective method for moving smaller shipments to and from Oahu.

You can arrange for an LCL shipment—also called a consolidation—through a freight forwarder.

Here’s how consolidations generally work:

• You relay the specs of your shipment to your freight forwarder, including the commodity you’re shipping, the dimensions, and the weight. Palletized shipments that are up to at 84″ tall, 80″ wide, and 48″ deep often get the best pricing.
• Your forwarder will send you over a quote for your “share” of the load. Unlike in an FCL shipment when you pay for the entire container, in an LCL shipment, you’re essentially only paying for the space you need.
• You accept the quote and direct your shipment to the freight forwarder’s warehouse or arrange for a pick up.
• Your forwarder stores your shipment along with others headed for the same destination.
• Either when the load is complete or on a set schedule, the forwarder loads all the freight into a container. Then, the forwarder transfers the container to a steamship line at the nearest port.
• The steamship line moves the container via ship to its destination port, unloads it, and makes it available to the forwarder on the other end.
• The forwarder trucks the container to their nearby warehouse, unpacks it on arrival, and delivers each shipment to its final location.

When you don’t have enough freight for a full-container shipment, a consolidation offers a more budget-friendly solution.

Oahu Freight Tip: Some forwarders move their consolidations on a set schedule. Others wait until they have a “complete” load—i.e., one with enough freight that makes it worth that forwarder’s while.

If you’re working with a forwarder that’s not operating on a set schedule, pick one that does a significant volume of business to your chosen destination. Otherwise, your freight may sit for a while before the forwarder completes the load and sends it on to your final destination.

#3: Consider an Asset-Based Provider on Oahu

As you vet potential freight Oahu partners, there’s one differentiating factor that’s important to understand before you make a final selection:

Some Oahu freight providers are asset-based.

Others use agents.

Here’s what that means:

• An asset-based provider owns its own fleet and employs its own crews.

• Freight providers that use agents outsource their pickups and deliveries to other trucking companies on Oahu.

In an ideal world, you wouldn’t see a difference between these two types of providers.

However, in practice, using an asset-based freight provider can mean preferential scheduling.

Here’s why: Direct customers often get first pick when it comes to pick-up and delivery times. When you’re working with a company that uses agents, you’re one step removed from the actual trucking provider. That can mean that your scheduling requests don’t get the same level of priority as a customer who’s hired the trucking provider directly.

As you interview potential Oahu freight providers, ask them about how scheduling works—and whether they have the time slots you’d prefer.

And if you’re not getting priority service from your Oahu freight provider, consider trying another company, one that owns its own fleet.

#4: Select the Right Freight Service Level for Your Needs and Budget

Before you book pick-up or delivery service on Oahu, make sure you know your freight service levels. There are subtle differences between each one—and cost differences that will reflect on your final invoice.

Below, you’ll find the standard industry terminology for describing freight service levels. Review them carefully so you can 1) understand what’s included with each and 2) choose the right one for your situation and your budget.

Curbside Delivery/Pick-Up

• What’s included: Curbside delivery/pick-up is standard freight service. As you might guess from the name, curbside service means that the driver will pick up or deliver freight to the “curb.” At your location, this might mean a loading dock, the end of a driveway, or a warehouse door.

• What’s not included: When you select curbside service, the driver isn’t required to come inside or move freight across the threshold. Curbside service also doesn’t include unpacking or debris removal.

Inside Delivery/Pick-Up

• What’s included: In an inside pick-up or delivery, the driver will come just across the threshold to pick up or deliver your freight.

• What’s not included: The driver is not required to navigate long hallways, climb stairs, or use an elevator. Like curbside service, unpacking and debris removal is also not included.

White Glove Service

• What’s included: White glove is the highest freight service level available, and it’s customizable to your needs. If you need delivery services like unpacking, assembly, putting freight in place, and removing debris, white glove delivery is for you. For pick-ups, white glove service could mean entering a location to access freight wherever it’s located within a building, packing it for transit, and then loading it on a truck to move it to its destination.

It’s important to discuss your selected freight service when you book your shipment with your provider. That way, your driver will be fully prepared with the right equipment and supplies to pick up or deliver your freight exactly the way you want it.

In other words, don’t wait until the last minute to request a different freight service level. (And make sure you’re ready for the driver at the appointed time to avoid delays or extra charges!)

#5: Understand Oahu/Honolulu Pick-Up & Delivery Challenges

To visitors, Oahu seems like a tropical paradise. Residents know that living on Oahu comes with its own unique challenges, including navigating the island’s highways, roads, and neighborhood streets.  

Below, we’ll share a few of the tricky situations your pick-up and delivery drivers may run into. Understanding these challenges will help you formulate the right plan to optimize your Oahu freight movements. 

Traffic

Wallethub recently ranked Hawaii the worst state to drive in. If you’ve ever tried to go in, out, or past Honolulu at rush hour, you know how congested Oahu’s highways can be.

Trucking crews that move freight all over Oahu have to deal with the same traffic that residents do, which is why scheduling is so important.

Some companies arrange for early-morning deliveries to beat the morning traffic. This can mean receiving freight before business hours, and it can also mean more predictable delivery times.

When you’re shopping around for an Oahu freight provider, ask up front about delivery schedules. If you’re able to receive freight outside of those busy morning and afternoon rush hour times, it can mean easier deliveries for all involved.

Access Issues in Waikiki & Honolulu

In addition to traffic, truck drivers in Honolulu and Waikiki also encounter another big challenge.  

Many businesses in these areas, including hotels, don’t have loading docks. As a result, when delivering items, sometimes drivers have to park wherever they can and move freight by hand. As careful as these drivers are, more handling can simply expose freight to a higher risk for damage. Plus, these hand deliveries take time and can introduce some unpredictability into delivery schedules. 

If you’re vetting new freight providers, they’ll likely ask how their drivers will access your business. If they suggest a site visit, take them up on the offer. That way, they can come up with the best plan for moving your freight safely and easily—including sending the right equipment for a safe, easy delivery. 

Access Issues in Other Oahu Locations

Pick-up and delivery drivers can also encounter challenges outside of Waikiki and Honolulu, including:

• Low-hanging wires, which may require using a smaller truck to execute a pick-up or a delivery.
• Narrow roads, alleyways, and driveways that may not accommodate larger vehicles.

If your Oahu freight provider has a complete fleet of equipment, navigating these issues will be no problem. Your provider will simply match your delivery with the right vehicle for a simple pick-up or delivery experience.

For this reason, make sure you choose a freight partner with a diverse fleet that’s able to flex from situation to situation.

Oahu Freight Tip: Don’t want your freight broken down for delivery? Talk to your freight provider.

In some cases, when smaller equipment is necessary for access reasons, freight providers may break down your freight to easily fit inside the delivery vehicle. However, if you’d prefer your pallets to remain intact, speak up when booking your shipment, so your provider can devise a solution that meets your preferences.

Optimizing Your Oahu & Honolulu Freight

Moving freight to and from Oahu comes with its own unique challenges and opportunities. Understanding all the factors involved gives you the knowledge you need to optimize your Oahu logistics and save your operation both time and money.

Looking for an Oahu freight partner? Our experts would love to help! Just reach out, and we’ll help you put together a cost-effective solution for your next Oahu freight project.