Export and Import Freight Service in Surrey

As the urban center closest to both the Port of Vancouver and the Pacific Highway border crossing, Surrey holds a unique position in Canada's international trade infrastructure. The Port of Vancouver is Canada's largest port and the third largest in North America, serving as the primary gateway for transpacific trade entering the Canadian market. For businesses in Surrey and Metro Vancouver involved in international trade, the ability to move goods efficiently between port terminals, local facilities, and onward destinations is central to staying competitive.

Control Terrestre provides full truckload freight services connecting Surrey importers and exporters to the broader North American market. Whether you are receiving containerized goods from Asia through the Port of Vancouver, shipping British Columbia lumber and agricultural products to international buyers, or managing complex supply chains involving multiple border crossings and transport modes, our export and import freight service delivers the capacity, documentation expertise, and network reach to keep your international trade operations running without disruption.

Infrastructure and Connectivity

The Port of Vancouver operates multiple terminals along Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River, including the Deltaport container terminal at Roberts Bank, located just west of Surrey in the municipality of Delta. This proximity means containers unloaded at Deltaport can reach Surrey's warehousing and distribution facilities in a very short haul, making the city an ideal location for deconsolidation, repacking, and downstream distribution of imported goods.

The Vanterm and Centerm container terminals on Burrard Inlet are accessible via Highway 1 and the major bridges connecting Surrey to Vancouver's north shore. Fraser Surrey Docks, located directly within Surrey on the Fraser River, handles break-bulk, project cargo, and steel products, providing another direct link between international shipping and Surrey's industrial base.

For exports, the same infrastructure works in reverse. Goods produced or consolidated in Surrey can reach any of the port's export terminals efficiently for loading onto vessels bound for international markets in Asia, South America, and beyond. South of Surrey, the Pacific Highway crossing provides direct road access to the U.S. market, allowing imported goods to be redistributed to American buyers or exported products to reach U.S. port facilities for alternative shipping routes.

Key Industries and Sectors

British Columbia's export profile is dominated by several major commodity categories, many of which originate in or pass through the Surrey area. Lumber and wood products represent the province's largest export sector, with sawmills and value-added wood product manufacturers shipping to construction markets in the United States, Japan, China, and other destinations. Surrey's industrial zones include wood processing facilities producing finished lumber, engineered wood products, and specialty items for export.

Agricultural exports from the Fraser Valley, including blueberries, cranberries, dairy products, and processed foods, move through Surrey on their way to international markets. Growing global demand for premium Canadian food products creates expanding opportunities for exporters who can deliver consistent quality and reliable supply.

On the import side, Asian consumer goods, electronics, machinery, auto parts, textiles, and food products arrive through the Port of Vancouver in enormous volumes. Many of these imports are destined for distribution across western Canada, but a significant portion requires trucking to destinations in the United States after clearing Canadian customs, a service flow that aligns directly with our cross-border transport expertise.

Manufacturing inputs, including raw materials, components, and semi-finished products from Pacific Rim suppliers, feed Surrey's manufacturing sector and the broader British Columbia industrial economy. These imports often operate on just-in-time schedules where port delays or container transport disruptions can halt production lines, making reliable transport service critical.

Our Solutions for Surrey

Control Terrestre's export and import freight service for Surrey covers the full trucking segment of international supply chains. We handle the movement of goods between port terminals, warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities using full truckload equipment matched to your cargo requirements. Our fleet includes dry vans for general containerized and palletized freight, flatbeds for lumber and construction materials, refrigerated trailers for perishable imports and exports, container chassis for direct port transport, and curtain-side trailers for loads requiring flexible access.

For imports arriving through the Port of Vancouver, we coordinate terminal pickup and delivery to your Surrey facility or directly to downstream destinations. When imported goods need to continue on to buyers in the United States, our cross-border capabilities and C-TPAT certification ensure smooth transit through the Pacific Highway crossing. Our FAST-registered drivers use expedited lanes that significantly reduce border wait times, a critical advantage for time-sensitive freight.

For businesses managing supply chains spanning multiple countries, Control Terrestre offers a meaningful advantage: we operate our own network across Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America. This means an Asian import arriving at the Port of Vancouver can be trucked to Surrey for processing, then shipped by land to a customer in Texas or a manufacturing partner in Monterrey, Mexico, all coordinated through a single carrier relationship.

Our BASC, Responsible Care, and Recurso Confiable certifications provide added assurance for high-value and sensitive cargo movements, demonstrating verified security and handling protocols that international shippers and their insurance providers increasingly require.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can you pick up containers directly from Port of Vancouver terminals?

Yes. We provide container drayage from all major Port of Vancouver terminals, including Deltaport at Roberts Bank, Vanterm, Centerm, and Fraser Surrey Docks. We handle terminal appointment scheduling, container pickup, and delivery to your Surrey facility or anywhere else in the region.

Do you handle customs documentation for import and export shipments?

Our service focuses on transport coordination and freight logistics. We work closely with customs brokers to ensure all required documentation is in order before pickup, and we can coordinate timing with your customs broker to align customs clearance with transport scheduling.

What if my imported goods need to be redistributed to multiple destinations in the United States after arriving in Surrey?

We can manage the full distribution chain. After your imported goods arrive at your Surrey facility for deconsolidation or processing, we provide full truckload service to U.S. destinations through our network. Each outbound shipment crosses the border with proper documentation, and our C-TPAT and FAST credentials ensure efficient border processing.