Asia to US Freight Forwarding for Mid-Size Importers
Ship from Asia to the US with a team that stays ahead of problems, not behind them. Ocean and air freight, supplier coordination, customs documentation and delivery, all managed by Dedola and tracked in real time through TRAKITPro. Precision logistics, every shipment, every time.
Dedola Global Logistics by the numbers
- 50 Years in business
- 20K Clients served since 1976
- 1M Full containers moved
- 100+ Industries served
What Does an Asia to US Freight Forwarder Do?
An Asia to US freight forwarder knows the trade, not just the transport. That means understanding the lanes your cargo moves on, the carriers and transit times that work on each route, the ports on both sides of the Pacific, and how US customs, tariffs and inland delivery actually work. The forwarder plans around all of it so your freight moves from the factory to your destination on schedule and without surprises.
Dedola has focused on Asia to US freight since 1976, so we know every step of the US import process. We’re a licensed NVOCC with the Federal Maritime Commission, and we manage the full process for US importers. Every shipment is visible in TRAKITPro, so you always know where your freight is.
Experience frictionless shipping
We guarantee less than 1% of your shipments will ever have an issue.
This free consultation is for US importers who:
- Ship from Asia more than 20 times a year
- Have accepted fees and delays as normal and are ready to challenge that assumption
- Want to think one step ahead before the next disruption hits
- Already have a forwarder but want to make sure their setup is truly protected
15-Minute Consultation
Ryan Dedola
*For partnerships, carriers, or careers, please use our contact form instead.
Compare Freight Options from Asia to the US
The right service depends on three things: how much you’re shipping, when it needs to arrive, and how much wiggle room you have on delivery. The table below compares the four options on those factors.
| Freight Service | Shipment Size | Relative Speed | Main Advantage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OceanFCL Ocean Freight | Full 20', 40', or 45' container | Standard ocean transit | Lowest cost per unit; cargo rides sealed from factory to door. | Full container loads or regular replenishment where volume beats LCL rates. |
| OceanLCL Ocean Freight | Roughly 1 to 13 CBM | Standard transit + deconsolidation | Pay only for space used—never pay for empty container air. | Shipments under 13 CBM, testing new suppliers, or staggered replenishment. |
| OceanDeferred FCL/LCL | Full container or partial loads | Flexible economic window | Lowest ocean rates in exchange for schedule flexibility. | Off-season replenishment and buffer stock with no fixed arrival deadline. |
| OceanExpedited LCL | Roughly 1 to 10 CBM | Faster sailings + priority handling | Express vessels & priority discharge at a fraction of air freight cost. | Urgent ocean cargo where standard ocean is too slow but air blows the budget. |
| Sea-AirMultimodal / Sea-Air | Flexible, sized to the air leg | Faster than ocean, cheaper than air | Cuts weeks off ocean transit at roughly half the cost of air. | Production delays eating ocean lead time when you need weeks back, not days. |
| AirConsolidated Air | Consolidated pallet/carton lots | Scheduled consolidation flights | Lower per-kilo air rates achieved through pooled flight allocations. | Scheduled recurring air cargo that can align with weekly flight departures. |
| AirDeferred Air | Flexible air consignments | Air speed with 3–5 day dispatch | Air transit speed at discounted space-available flight rates. | Flexible air shipments that need fast flight transit with a 3–5 day departure window. |
| AirDirect / Express Air | Cartons through pallet lots | Fastest door-to-door (days) | Fastest door-to-door transit (measured in days) with guaranteed uplift. | Critical stockouts, immediate product launches, or factory line-down emergencies. |
What Determines the Cost of Shipping Freight from Asia to the US?
Cost depends on the lane, the mode and the shipment profile rather than a single published rate.
- Origin and destination
- Ocean, air or multimodal service
- FCL or LCL
- Cargo dimensions and weight
- Shipment volume
- Service level
- Inland transportation
- Seasonality
- Fuel and handling
- Customs requirements
- Warehousing
- Insurance
How Freight Moves from an Asian Supplier to the US
Every Asia to US shipment follows the same eight steps. Dedola owns the coordination at each one and reports back when something changes.
At origin
Supplier and shipment details collected
Commodity, volume, packaging, ready date and destination are confirmed with you and the supplier.
Origin pickup and supplier coordination
Dedola arranges cargo pickup in Asia and works directly with the factory on timing and documents.
Ocean, air or multimodal service selected
Mode and routing are chosen against the delivery date, the budget and the cargo profile.
In transit
Booking and export documentation coordinated
Space is booked and export paperwork is prepared ahead of carrier cutoffs.
International freight movement
The shipment sails or flies, with milestones tracked in TRAKITPro and exceptions flagged early.
Customs and destination coordination
Entry documentation is coordinated with your customs broker before the cargo arrives.
At destination
Drayage, truck, rail or warehouse transfer
Containers are drayed from the port, or cargo moves to a warehouse, truck or rail leg as required.
Final delivery and shipment reporting
Cargo is delivered to the final US destination and the shipment closes out with reporting.
- Exclusive use of a 20' or 40' container for your cargo
- Direct routing with fewer handling points
- Space booked ahead of peak-season pressure
- Supplier pickup and export documentation coordinated
- Drayage and final US delivery arranged
- Shipment milestones visible in TRAKITPro
FCL Ocean Freight from Asia
A full container costs less per unit than LCL or air once volume is steady. Dedola books space ahead of peak-season pressure, coordinates the supplier pickup in Asia and manages destination delivery, so the container arrives on the plan it left with.
- Pay only for the cubic meters you use
- Frequent departures and flexible scheduling
- Consolidation across multiple Asian suppliers
- Expedited LCL available when the delivery date is tight
- Cargo handled and deconsolidated by a managed network
- One Dedola contact from booking to delivery
LCL Ocean Freight from Asia
LCL suits shipments of roughly 1 to 13 CBM: SKU top-ups between container cycles, smaller seasonal orders and lanes where volume does not fill a box. Dedola manages the consolidation so shared container space does not become a shared problem.
Air Freight from Asia
Air freight is the option when a delay would stop production, miss a launch or leave a customer order unfilled. Direct, deferred and consolidated services trade cost against speed, so the premium is matched to the deadline rather than paid by default.
- Direct and express service for the shortest transit
- Deferred air for cost savings on a longer window
- Consolidated air for smaller, regular consignments
- Airport handling and export documentation coordinated
- Customs coordination arranged before arrival
- Inland delivery from the US gateway airport
Sea-Air and Multimodal Freight
Sea-air moves cargo by ocean for part of the route and by air for the rest. It recovers weeks of a slipped schedule without paying for a full air movement, and Dedola coordinates each leg and the transfer between them.
- Ocean and air legs planned as one routing
- Transit time and budget balanced against the deadline
- Single point of contact across every leg
- Transfer points selected for schedule reliability
- Documentation carried across both modes
- Milestones tracked end to end in TRAKITPro
Is Dedola the Right Freight Partner for Your Business?
Dedola is built for US businesses importing commercial goods from Asia on a recurring basis, where precision and accuracy matters more than a one-off rate.
- US businesses importing commercial goods
- Importers shipping more than 20 times/ year
- Companies sourcing from Asia
- Businesses buying from multiple suppliers
- High-volume or growing shipment programs
- Complex or time-sensitive freight
- Importers that need stronger visibility and coordination
Clients who know the difference
Dedola is personal and always within reach. You can’t get that anywhere else.
“Before working with Dedola, I felt like a “small fish”, working with a bigger company, and had no visibility into where my cargo was or when it would arrive. Now, with the TRAKITPro portal and the ability to reach a real person whenever I need it, everything is so much easier. The customer service has exceeded my expectations—I get answers right away, which frees up my time and mental energy to focus on growing my business. It’s absolutely worth it.”
Connie Bourgeois, CEO of Conjetta Designs
I feel like I’m the biggest and sometimes the only customer that Dedola has
“We’ve been working with Dedola for five years, and even in our first year, we saw immediate savings in our spending. I can easily check where my containers are, their status, and what’s happening at any time. Dedola is always one step ahead—providing information, sharing updates, and offering helpful suggestions. What stands out most is the automation and the ability to get a clear snapshot of everything just by looking at the TRAKITPro dashboard. Dedola helped Gemini Displays look and act like a much bigger company than we are.”
William Quinn, President of Gemini Displays
Dedola keeps my shipments simple and precise
"For 30 years, Dedola keeps my shipments simple and precise. They help my vendors in Taiwan and they don’t even come to me when they have questions or feedback–they communicate with Dedola and soon the packages arrive. You want to worry about the quality of your product, not about who drives it to the boat."
Jerry Coe, Owner of Coe Studios
Dedola offers the full service we wanted and we’ve worked with them for over 20 years
“We ship from China and we have more than 10 different factories that deliver to Dedola’s warehouse. They consolidate everything and handle any problems on our behalf, notifying us of any delays ahead of time. I don’t need to worry about the shipping. We tell them what we need and they do it.”
Benjamin Lu, Managing Partner at A&C Trade
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Asia to US Freight Forwarding FAQs
What does an Asia to US freight forwarder do?
An Asia to US freight forwarder coordinates commercial cargo from Asian suppliers to destinations in the United States. That can include supplier pickup, FCL or LCL ocean freight, air freight, export and customs documentation, shipment tracking, drayage, warehousing and final delivery.
Does Dedola handle both ocean and air freight from Asia?
Yes. Dedola coordinates FCL, LCL, expedited LCL, deferred and sea-air ocean services, plus direct, deferred and consolidated air freight, so each shipment can move by the mode that fits its deadline and budget.
What information is needed to get a freight quote?
Origin and destination, commodity, approximate weight and dimensions, shipment volume and frequency, required delivery timing, incoterms and any special handling. Missing details can be estimated first and confirmed before booking.
Can Dedola coordinate directly with suppliers in Asia?
Yes. Dedola communicates with factories and vendors about pickup timing, cargo readiness, packing details and export documents, including for importers buying from several suppliers in different Asian locations.
Can Dedola help with customs documentation for US imports?
Dedola coordinates the documentation a US customs entry depends on, including the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, classification details and country of origin information, and works with your customs broker ahead of arrival.
How do importers choose between FCL, LCL and air freight?
Volume, deadline and cost. FCL fits full-container volume, LCL fits roughly 1 to 13 CBM, and air fits cargo where the cost of waiting is higher than the transportation premium. Sea-air sits between ocean and air when the date has slipped.
How can Asia to US freight be tracked?
Through TRAKITPro, Dedola Global Logistics’ shipment visibility platform: real-time shipment status, milestone monitoring, centralized shipment information and alerts where available, with a Dedola contact available alongside the platform.
Which Asian ports and airports can Dedola work with?
Dedola works across major Asian gateways including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Hong Kong, Hai Phong, Busan, Taiwan, Manila, Tanjung Pelepas, Nhava Sheva and Mundra. The right gateway depends on supplier location, cargo type, schedule and destination.
How much does freight shipping from Asia to the US cost?
Cost depends on origin and destination, mode, FCL or LCL, cargo dimensions and weight, shipment volume, service level, inland transportation, seasonality, fuel and handling, customs requirements, warehousing and insurance. Dedola quotes per lane rather than publishing fixed rates.
