---
title: "How Long Does It Take to Pick up a Container from Port?"
description: "Explains container pickup timing at destination port: vessel unloading takes 1-3 days; FCL waits in the yard, LCL is trucked to a CFS, both must clear before Last Free Day."
language: en
canonical: https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/pick-up-container-from-destination/
lifecycle: live
---

# How Long Does It Take to Pick up a Container from Port?

Shipments will not be ready for pickup the same day the ocean vessel arrives at port.

Just unloading the ocean vessel can take 1-3 business days, because many ships have more than 10,000 containers on board. 

An [FCL (Full Container Load)](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/full-container-load/) shipment will be available for pickup after the container is unloaded and placed in the arrival port’s [container yard](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/container-yard/). An [LCL (Less than Container Load)](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/less-than-container-load/) shipment, will need to be trucked to a [CFS (Container Freight Station)](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/container-freight-station/) and deconsolidated before it's available for pickup. 

Shipments needs to be picked up from the CFS or [Container Yard (CY)](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/container-yard/) before the [Last Free Day](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/last-free-day) to avoid [demurrage](https://www.flexport.com/glossary/demurrage/) charges. 

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/pick-up-container-from-destination/](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/pick-up-container-from-destination/) for AI/LLM consumption.*