Industries Served
Import/Export and Logistics
Financing for shipping containers, reefer units, and chassis serving importers, exporters, NVOCCs, and third-party logistics providers. Fund in 1-2 weeks, $50k minimum.
Gate-in, gate-out, dwell, free time, per diem. Import and export companies live inside a vocabulary built around steel boxes and the fees that accumulate when those boxes stop moving. The companies that own their own containers instead of leasing from a shipping line have already done the math, and the math usually comes out in their favor on any lane with enough volume. We finance that steel, from a single 20-foot container for an exporter with a single recurring account, all the way up to multi-unit inventories for NVOCCs and third-party logistics providers who need owned capacity to stop paying per diem on someone else's box every time freight sits more than five days.
Importers, exporters, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, 3PLs: the profile varies, but the core request is usually the same. You want to own a box, you do not want to use a bank that will spend six weeks trying to understand why a shipping container is not real property, and you want a lender who will move faster than the per diem accrues. That is us. Floor is $50,000, sweet spot runs $100,000 and above, and we close deals in one to two weeks on purchase, refinance, lease, or sale-leaseback. non-prime credit considered. Application-only financing available up to approximately $400,000.
The Boxes Import/Export Companies Actually Buy
Standard dry containers dominate the market, but the import/export world runs on a wider range of units than most people outside the trade realize. Agricultural exporters moving grain, nuts, and cotton need cargo-worthy 20-foot and 40-foot dry vans with solid floors and clean inspections. Electronics importers want 40-foot high-cube containers because the extra foot of interior height makes a material difference in how pallets stack. Apparel importers running FOB Asian ports typically move in 40-foot standard or high-cube on ocean, then need domestic repositioning capacity once the box clears customs.
Cold-chain importers, the ones moving produce, seafood, pharmaceuticals, or dairy from South America, Europe, or Asia, need reefer containers with operating refrigeration units. Those are substantially more expensive than dry boxes, which makes financing a more critical part of the acquisition. A used 40-foot reefer with a Daikin or Thermo King unit can run $8,000 to $15,000 or more depending on age and condition, and building a cold-chain inventory fast requires capital that most trade-finance lines do not cover cleanly.
NVOCCs and freight forwarders sometimes finance open-top containers for project cargo or heavy machinery moving on port-to-port bookings. Flat racks and tank containers serve specialty commodities. We underwrite based on the asset's market value and useful life, not based on whether the box fits a bank's equipment category list.
Who This Makes Sense For
The clearest fit is a company that already knows its per diem exposure. If you are paying a shipping line or a leasing company for box usage on a recurring basis and the monthly fee exceeds what a financed purchase would cost, the case for ownership is already made. A lot of importers and exporters sit in this position but have not pursued financing because they assumed their bank would handle it or assumed container ownership was too complicated. Neither assumption holds up.
Logistics companies building out a depot or a transload facility also need owned container inventory. Transload operations convert ocean containers to domestic freight, and having owned boxes on-site to stage freight between modes is a real operational asset. A container refinancing arrangement can pull equity out of containers already in service to fund expansion without a full cash outlay.
Companies operating near major US port complexes are common clients. Import/export businesses in Long Beach and Los Angeles access the largest container volume in the US. Operations in Miami handle high-value Latin American trade lanes. All of them can be financed the same way regardless of geography.
Structure and Terms
Most import/export container deals land between $50,000 and $500,000 for single or multi-unit transactions. Term lengths typically run 24 to 72 months depending on the asset type and the buyer's preference. A newer one-trip box holds residual value well enough to support a longer term. An older cargo-worthy unit coming off a long trade lane is usually financed on a shorter payoff to stay ahead of depreciation.
For companies that already own containers, a sale-leaseback converts existing inventory into working capital without disrupting operations. You continue using the boxes; we advance a lump sum against their value. That capital can fund a new trade lane, cover import duties, or handle seasonal cash flow gaps that are common in commodity trade businesses.
We also structure deals for companies buying used containers off a depot or from another logistics company through a private sale. The private-party purchase process is the same as a dealer deal: we need the seller info, container specs and CSC certification status, and the agreed price. We fund the seller directly and take a lien on the units.
Timeline
Three months of business bank statements and a completed credit application get the process started. We do not need full financials under approximately $400,000 on an app-only deal. Approval in 24 to 48 hours is typical. Closing requires lien documents and a wire, and the whole thing moves in one to two weeks in most cases. If you are in a time-sensitive situation, tell us when you need to close and we will work the timeline.
Questions from buyers
What to know before you send the file.
Clear answers on structure, documentation, timing, and equipment eligibility.
We are an NVOCC, not a direct freight carrier. Do you finance containers for our type of operation?
Yes. NVOCCs, freight forwarders, 3PLs, and transload operators all qualify. The business type matters less than the revenue, the bank statements, and the containers being financed. We underwrite the asset and the business together.
Can we finance containers that are currently on ocean or have not yet arrived at the port?
We typically fund against units that are on-ground and identifiable by container number and condition. In some cases we can fund a purchase against a confirmed delivery from an importer or dealer with clear documentation, but pre-arrival financing is handled case-by-case.
Our reefer containers need both the box and the refrigeration unit financed. Is that one deal or two?
One deal. We finance the complete reefer container including the refrigeration unit as a single asset. We look at the combined value of box and unit to size the advance and set the term.
We have existing container debt at a high rate. Can you refinance it?
Container refinancing is straightforward if the units have remaining useful life and the current loan is in good standing. We need the payoff amount, a description of the containers, and the usual bank statements. If the rate and term make sense, we restructure it.
What is the minimum fleet size for a multi-unit deal?
There is no floor on unit count. A two-container deal totaling $50,000 qualifies the same as a twenty-unit deal. We structure around the total transaction value, not the number of boxes.
Container quote desk
Ready to price Import/Export and Logistics?
Send the unit list, seller quote, delivery location, and target timing. We will organize the financing request around the equipment.