Freight Forwarder in Los Angeles, CA – Ocean, Air & 3PL Warehousing

Los Angeles is the largest port complex in the Western Hemisphere, and the right freight forwarder here can be the difference between a shipment that moves and one that stalls. Approved Freight Forwarders has operated in Southern California since the early 1980s, with port and logistical expertise, and warehousing infrastructure that businesses rely on to ship with confidence. Whether you’re moving containers through the Port of LA, consolidating freight, or distributing goods across the country, we handle it all under one roof.

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Top 100 3PL provider

TOP 100

3PL PROVIDER

Custom

FREIGHT SOLUTIONS

Warehousing

NEAR THE PORT OF LA

Why Los Angeles Is the Hub for Your Supply Chain

Los Angeles Supply Chain hub

The Port of Los Angeles

Los Angeles Supply Chain hub

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Los Angeles Supply Chain hub

Interstate 10, I-5, and I-710

Los Angeles Supply Chain hub

On-dock and near-dock rail

When your freight moves through Los Angeles, CA with Approved, you’re working with a team that knows every terminal operator, every drayage lane, and every common delay point.

Our Freight Forwarding Services in Los Angeles

We offer a full suite of freight and logistics services from our Los Angele terminal. You won’t need to coordinate between three different vendors — we consolidate your supply chain under a single point of contact.

Ocean Freight — FCL and LCL

We manage both Full Container Load (FCL) and Less Than Container Load (LCL) shipments through the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach. Whether you’re filling an entire container or sharing space in a consolidated load, we secure competitive rates from major ocean carriers and coordinate every step: booking, documentation, port coordination, and customs clearance.
FCL is ideal for large-volume shippers whose cargo fills a 20- or 40-foot container. LCL consolidation lets smaller shippers access the same carriers and routes without paying for space they don’t need.

Air Freight

When speed matters more than cost, our air freight team coordinates shipments through LAX, one of the busiest cargo airports in the United States. We handle express, standard, and consolidated air freight for time-sensitive cargo, oversized pieces, and shipments requiring special handling. IATA-certified and with direct relationships across major cargo carriers, we ensure your air freight moves on schedule.

Drayage & Port Trucking

Once your container is discharged at the port, it needs to move — fast. Demurrage fees accumulate daily, and delays at the terminal compound quickly. Our drayage team handles pickup from port terminals, chassis coordination, and delivery to our warehouse or directly to your facility. We monitor vessel arrivals and proactively schedule pickups to minimize port time.

Warehousing & Distribution (3PL)

Our Los Angeles-area warehouse offers secure, flexible storage and distribution services for importers, exporters, and e-commerce sellers. Services include:
  • Pallet and unit-level storage
  • Pick-and-pack and order fulfillment
  • Transloading and cross-docking
  • Inventory management with shipment tracking integration
  • Final mile delivery across Southern California and nationwide
Whether you need short-term staging or long-term distribution infrastructure, our 3PL team builds a program around your volume and cadence.

Consolidated Freight & Transloading

We specialize in consolidating freight bound for non-contiguous U.S. destinations — Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Alaska — from our LA terminal. If you’re importing goods from Asia and routing them onward to these markets, our consolidation expertise reduces your per-unit shipping cost and simplifies the handoff between ocean and domestic legs.

Domestic Truckload & LTL

Beyond port-to-door, we offer domestic FTL and LTL freight services throughout the continental U.S. Our carrier network and transportation management capabilities mean you can move product from our LA terminal to any market same-day, next-day, or on a scheduled cadence.

Not sure which option fits your cargo?

Logistics Experts Specialists in Jones Act Locations

Not every freight forwarder in Los Angeles knows how to move cargo to Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, or Alaska. These markets require specialized assets, carrier relationships, knowledge of non-contiguous shipping regulations, and experience.

Approved has been doing this for decades. Our LA terminal is the origination point for thousands of shipments annually to these markets: from pallets of retail product to commercial construction materials to sensitive medical equipment. If your business is looking for a reliable freight forwarder for these markets, we can handle it.

Honolulu Hawaii freight port

Hawaii Freight

Guam freight and logistics services

Guam Freight

Puerto Rico freight

Puerto Rico Freight

Alaska freight

Alaska Freight

Why Businesses Trust Approved in Los Angeles

01

Operating since the early 1980s

Decades of relationships with carriers, terminal operators, and customs authorities at the Port of LA

02

Ranked Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics

One of only a handful of forwarders in California to earn this recognition

03

IATA-certified for air freight

Direct relationships with major cargo carriers through LAX

04

WCA and CNS network members

Global freight network access for international routing

05

EPA SmartWay partner

Verified sustainable freight practices

Trusted by Companies Worldwide

The team at Approved Freight Forwarders have been spectacular in providing a personalized service that truly supports the needs of my small business. As an interior designer, my shipments are often fragmented over weeks or months, relatively small in quantity, and frequently contain fragile items. AFF have consistently made me feel as though I have a dedicated team personally overseeing every shipment. Their communication, care, and flexibility have made what could be a stressful logistics process feel seamless and dependable. I genuinely value the relationship and highly recommend them to any business needing attentive and reliable freight support.

– Estie C.

Well, I have now used them multiple times and everything on both descending and receiving and have been exceptional. Everybody involved, we’ve been a 100% professional and expedite my transfers. Immediately, I have 0 negative to say about only positive experience with the whole operation from start to finish. I definitely recommend this company to anybody that wants them painless business experience.

– John W.

So far, it has been great working with Approved Freight Forwarders.
Griselda has been a pleasure to work with. She has been so kind and patient with helping us navigate the ins-and-outs of our upcoming shipment to Puerto Rico. Walking me through all the steps required and providing me with the information I need to help this project go smoothly and successfully.

– Tammy H.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Los Angeles-area terminal is located at 14777 Don Julian Rd, City of Industry, CA 91746. The City of Industry sits within the greater LA logistics corridor, providing efficient access to the Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, LAX, and major interstate highways including the I-10 and I-605.

Yes. Our customs clearance team manages the full import and export process at the Port of LA.

FCL (Full Container Load) means your cargo fills an entire 20- or 40-foot container — typically the most cost-effective option for larger shipments. LCL (Less Than Container Load) means your cargo shares container space with other shippers’ freight, making it ideal for smaller volumes that don’t justify a full container. Approved handles both through the Port of Los Angeles.

Ocean freight from Los Angeles to Honolulu (Oahu) typically takes 5–7 transit days. Shipping to Neighbor Islands (Maui, Kauai, Big Island) adds 1–3 days for interisland transfer. Air freight to Hawaii is typically 1–2 days. Transit times can vary based on vessel schedule and port conditions.

Yes — these are markets we specialize in. Approved has established carrier relationships and operational experience shipping cargo from our LA terminal to Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Alaska. We handle the regulatory requirements and carrier coordination specific to each of these non-contiguous U.S. markets.

Yes. Our Los Angeles-area warehouse offers pallet storage, pick-and-pack, transloading, cross-docking, and final mile delivery services. We serve importers who need short-term staging after customs clearance, as well as businesses that want a permanent West Coast distribution hub.

We work with businesses across retail and e-commerce, food and beverage, construction, hospitality, medical and pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and more. Our team has experience handling industry-specific requirements including FDA compliance, temperature-sensitive cargo, oversized freight, and regulated hazardous materials.