Atlanta-based importers moving goods by sea typically use the Port of Savannah or the Port of Charleston, both within a day's drive. Savannah, just 250 miles from Atlanta, is home to the largest single-terminal container facility in North America. Charleston is preferred for certain Asia direct services and handles some of the largest container vessels on the East Coast.
We manage inbound sea freight from origin through port clearance and inland delivery to your Atlanta facility. You deal with one team across the whole supply chain, and everything is visible on a single platform.
Freight Forwarding Atlanta, GA
Navia's Atlanta office handles freight forwarding across sea, air, and road for businesses importing, exporting, and distributing goods across the Southeast. If your supply chain includes Atlanta, our team is here.
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Atlanta's Freight Advantage - Air, Road, and Rail in One City
Atlanta's position as a freight hub has less to do with coastlines and more to do with connectivity. More than 80% of the US population and 79% of the nation's 150 largest metro areas are within two delivery days of Hartsfield-Jackson, which makes Atlanta one of the most efficient distribution points in the country for businesses serving the Southeast and beyond.
Four of the six North American Class I railroads operate Atlanta intermodal ramps, and the city sits at the intersection of four major interstate highways. For importers who need cargo cleared and distributed across a broad geographic footprint, Atlanta offers a combination of air, rail, and road connectivity that few inland cities can match.
Sea Freight - Into Savannah & Charleston
Air Freight Through Hartsfield-Jackson
Hartsfield-Jackson is the world's busiest passenger airport and a major air cargo hub. The airport's cargo complexes exceed 2 million square feet, and it handles over 650,000 metric tons of cargo annually, with strong connections to Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific trade lanes. It's particularly well-suited for pharmaceutical and healthcare cold chain shipments, with specialist handling available at the Atlanta International Cargo Center.
For time-sensitive or high-value freight, our team manages air freight bookings, documentation, and customs clearance at ATL, with onward distribution by road to anywhere in the Southeast.
Road Freight & Southeast Distribution
Once cargo arrives at the port or arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson, we coordinate road delivery to your warehouse, distribution center, or any address across the Southeast. Whether that's a single delivery run or an ongoing inbound program across multiple locations, we handle the domestic leg as part of the same service.
US Customs Clearance - Handled In-House
Our in-house customs team manages classification, documentation, and CBP clearance for freight moving through Atlanta, covering both air freight at Hartsfield-Jackson and sea freight arriving via Savannah or Charleston. One team handles it all, with no third-party broker creating an extra layer of communication in the middle.
View all servicesThe NaviaHub - Live Visibility Over Every Shipment
The NaviaHub gives you a real-time view of your entire supply chain, with exception alerts that flag at-risk shipments before they go late, KPI reporting against your SLAs, and SKU-level tracking from origin through to your Atlanta facility. It connects directly to your ERP or WMS so your systems stay current without manual data entry.
Every Navia customer gets it as standard, whether you're moving five containers a month or five hundred.
Importing Through Atlanta - Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America
Atlanta's air freight network covers all three of the major trade corridors relevant to US importers right now. For businesses sourcing from China, Vietnam, or Southeast Asia, importing from Europe, or moving goods from Latin America, Hartsfield-Jackson has direct connections on all of those lanes.
For sea freight, the combination of Savannah and Charleston gives Atlanta-based importers access to both high-volume transpacific services and strong transatlantic routes, with competitive transit times into the Southeast. Navia operates its own offices in Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia, which means we have in-house teams at origin managing your Asia-Pacific cargo before it reaches the vessel. For businesses importing from that part of the world, that's a different level of control compared to a forwarder relying on overseas agents.
Talk to our Atlanta freight team.
Whether you're moving air freight through Hartsfield-Jackson, sea freight via Savannah or Charleston, or need a partner for Southeast distribution, our Atlanta team is ready to help.
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Which port does most Atlanta sea freight move through?
Most Atlanta-based importers use the Port of Savannah as their primary sea freight gateway. At 250 miles from Atlanta and with the largest single-terminal container facility in North America, it's the natural choice for most East Coast-routed sea freight. Some cargo moves through Charleston depending on the trade lane and carrier, and we'll advise on the best routing for your specific shipment.
What's the transit time for sea freight from Asia into Atlanta?
Sea freight from Shanghai or Shenzhen to the US East Coast via the Panama Canal typically runs 28-32 days on the water, with an additional 1-2 days by road from Savannah or Charleston into Atlanta. For faster transit, air freight on the same lane runs 3-5 days door to door. We'll give you current options when you get a quote.
Can you handle pharmaceutical or temperature-sensitive freight through Atlanta?
Yes. Hartsfield-Jackson has specialist cold chain handling at its on-site perishables complex, and our team has experience managing pharmaceutical and temperature-sensitive shipments through Atlanta. If your cargo has specific handling requirements, let us know upfront and we'll make sure the right conditions are in place.
Do you cover Southeast distribution, or just Atlanta metro deliveries?
We coordinate road freight across the full Southeast from Atlanta, covering Georgia and the surrounding states. If you're building out a Southeast distribution model and want a freight partner who handles the full chain from origin, that's exactly what we do.