King Ocean Services
King Ocean Services is a privately held maritime cargo carrier operating weekly fixed-day sailings from Port Everglades, Florida to 20+ destinations across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, offering refrigerated, FCL, LCL, vehicle, and project cargo services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersDoral, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What King Ocean Services does
King Ocean Services is a privately held maritime cargo carrier founded in 1982 and headquartered in Sweetwater (greater Miami), Florida, operating primarily out of Port Everglades. The company provides weekly, fixed-day ocean shipping services to more than 20 destinations across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, organized around named regional trade lanes (ABC, Eastern Caribbean, Caribbean Feeder, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Colombia, North Central America, South Central America, Nicaragua/San Andres, Pacific, Bahamas/Turks & Caicos). Its service portfolio spans full container load (FCL), less-than-container load (LCL) consolidation, refrigerated reefer containers in 20- and 40-foot configurations, roll-on/roll-off vehicle and bulk transport (vessels carrying 60+ vehicles per voyage), project and out-of-gauge cargo, charter services, and 807 apparel-specific cargo handling.
The company's underlying asset base consists of container vessels, refrigerated container fleets, RoRo-capable vessels, and a versatile charter fleet that includes landing craft with 7-foot draft capability for direct beach landings. Operations are executed through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries in 11 countries (Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Trinidad, plus the US operating entity) supplemented by local agent relationships in additional markets including Haiti, Guyana, Suriname, and several Eastern Caribbean islands. King Ocean holds regulatory credentials including C-TPAT (US Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism), BASC, LEED, BBB accreditation, and E-Verify, and discloses compliance with US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Federal Maritime Commission rules, and human-trafficking statutes.
King Ocean generates revenue primarily through transactional per-container and per-unit pricing, with published rates ranging from $400 to $1,680 per 20'/40' container depending on origin-destination route, plus bunker, port, and terminal-handling surcharges adjusted periodically (next update effective July 19, 2026). The customer base is fragmented across B2B importers, exporters, manufacturers, perishable-goods shippers, vehicle and heavy-equipment shippers, and project-cargo customers. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales, the corporate website (kingocean.com), and a local agent network in destination markets; no consumer-facing app, marketplace, or AI-driven customer interface is in evidence.
King Ocean Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- King Ocean Services
- Legal name
- King Ocean Services Limited
- Website
- https://kingocean.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- King Ocean Services is a privately held maritime cargo carrier operating weekly fixed-day sailings from Port Everglades, Florida to 20+ destinations across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, offering refrigerated, FCL, LCL, vehicle, and project cargo services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
King Ocean Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ocean Freight Shipping Services
- NAICS
- Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)
- SIC
- Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refrigerated Ocean Shipping (Reefer Containers & Specialized Reefer Vessels) (TLADAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)
Keywords
Where King Ocean Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Doral
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices22 records
Markets served
King Ocean Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ocean Freight Transportation: Core revenue from transporting cargo via ocean shipping services including FCL (Full Container Load), LCL (Less than Container Load), refrigerated cargo, bulk cargo, vehicles, and project cargo between US ports (primarily Port Everglades, Florida) and destinations throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Revenue is generated through container fees, surcharges (bunker, port, terminal handling), and freight charges based on cargo volume and type.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Containerized cargo (dry, reefer, flat rack, open top) - charged per container size and type |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicle and breakbulk cargo - charged per unit or per measurement |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Peru & Ecuador route container pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LCL (Less than Container Load) charges for Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
King Ocean Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
King Ocean Services is a maritime cargo shipping company that operates weekly fixed-day ocean freight services between Port Everglades, Florida and destinations throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. It transports containerized cargo (FCL and LCL), refrigerated goods, vehicles, heavy equipment, and project cargo using a diversified fleet of vessels and a network of regional agents. The company also provides LCL consolidation services, charter services with landing craft and barges, and shipping documentation/compliance support.
Product overview
King Ocean Services is a cargo shipping company operating a diversified fleet of vessels to provide maritime freight transportation services throughout the Western Hemisphere. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of shipping services organized into core cargo handling services and regional trade route services. Core services include Refrigerated Freight Services (reefer containers in 20' and 40' varieties), LCL Cargo Service (less-than-container load consolidation), FCL Cargo Service (full container loads), Bulk & Vehicles (Roll-on/Roll-off ferry), Project Cargo (out-of-gauge specialized cargo), Charter Services (customized transport with landing craft and barges), and 807 Cargo Delivery (apparel-specific handling). Regional services span multiple trade corridors from Port Everglades, Florida to: ABC Service (Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire), Eastern Caribbean Service (15+ destinations), Caribbean Feeder (Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad), Haiti Service, Dominican Republic Service, Colombia Service, North Central America Service (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras), South Central America Service (Costa Rica, Panama), Nicaragua & San Andres Service, Pacific Service (Ecuador, Peru), Bahamas/Turks & Caicos Service, and Manzanillo/Colombia/Aruba/Curacao Service. The company operates with over 40 years of industry experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ABC Service: Weekly shipping service to Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire
- Eastern Caribbean Service (ECS)
- Caribbean Feeder
- North Central America (NCA)
- South Central America (SCA)
- Pacific Service
- Haiti Service
- Manzanillo Service
Products and services
- Refrigerated Freight Services Refrigerated (reefer) container ocean transport in 20' and 40' varieties for perishable and temperature-sensitive cargo shipped between Port Everglades, Florida and Caribbean, Central American, and South American destinations. Containers undergo inspections and retro fittings managed by experienced reefer teams.
- LCL Cargo Service Less-than-Container-Load cargo consolidation services for exporters, manufacturers, and buyers shipping smaller volumes between Miami, Florida and Eastern Caribbean, Central America, and Colombia, with weekly consolidation and a distribution-center network supporting inland delivery.
- FCL Cargo Service Full Container Load ocean shipping between U.S. ports (primarily Port Everglades, Florida) and Caribbean, Central American, and South American destinations, with weekly sailings and terminal support for dry, refrigerated, flat rack, and open top containers.
- Bulk & Vehicles (Roll-on/Roll-off) Roll-on/Roll-off ferry service for transporting cars, vans, mobile homes, bulldozers, and other wheeled or heavy equipment between U.S. ports and regional destinations, with weekly sailings and vessels capable of carrying 60 or more vehicles per voyage.
- Project Cargo Specialized ocean transport for out-of-gauge, oversized, and project cargo including road-building machinery, earthmoving equipment, specialized trucks, and oversized HVAC units, with expert handling and precise care for high-value industrial moves.
- Charter Services Customized vessel charter services across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America using a versatile fleet that includes landing craft, offshore support vessels, barges, and container ships with 7-foot draft capability for direct beach landings to remote locations.
- 807 Cargo Delivery Specialized 807/9802 cargo handling service for apparel industry customers, with an experienced team coordinating operational details, documentation, and transportation for cross-border apparel shipments.
- ABC Service Dedicated weekly ocean shipping service from Port Everglades, Florida to Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire (the ABC Islands), with a fixed Saturday sailing and Tuesday arrival in Oranjestad, Aruba. The company's foundational route since 1982.
- Eastern Caribbean Service Fixed-day weekly ocean sailing from Port Everglades, Florida to more than 15 Eastern Caribbean destinations including St. Maarten, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, St. Kitts, Anguilla, St. Barths, Antigua, Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, Saba, St. Eustatius, plus connections to Suriname, Guyana, and Trinidad.
- Caribbean Feeder Service Reliable weekly ocean sailings between Port Everglades, Florida and Suriname, Guyana, and Trinidad, handling 20', 40', and 45' containers, refrigerated units, vehicles, and heavy equipment.
- Haiti Service Direct weekly ocean service from South Florida to Port-au-Prince (Tuesday arrival, 2-day transit) and Cap-Haïtien (Wednesday arrival, 3-day transit), serving Haiti with weekly sailings.
- Dominican Republic Service Fixed-day weekly sailings between Port Everglades, Florida and Rio Haina and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, with overland connections to Santo Domingo, El Cibao, and other interior destinations.
- Colombia Service Fixed-day weekly service between Port Everglades, Florida and Barranquilla, Cartagena, and San Andres Island in Colombia, with overland connections to Medellín, Santa Fe de Bogotá, and interior destinations.
- Cartagena COMPAS Terminal Transition Service enhancement moving Cartagena, Colombia calls to the COMPAS Terminal, announced in April 2026 to improve weekly service between Port Everglades, Florida and Cartagena, Colombia.
- North Central America Service Fixed-day weekly ocean service between Port Everglades, Florida and Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, with overland connections to interior destinations in those countries.
- South Central America Service Fixed weekly ocean service between South Florida and Puerto Limón, Costa Rica and the Port of Manzanillo, Panama, with transshipment hub services to Colombia, Oranjestad, Willemstad, and Costa Rica.
- Nicaragua & San Andres Service Fixed-day weekly ocean service between Port Everglades, Florida, El Rama (Nicaragua), and San Andres Island, with overland connections to Managua and interior destinations in Nicaragua.
- Pacific Service Fixed-day bi-weekly water-to-water southbound and northbound ocean sailings between Port Everglades, Florida, Guayaquil (Ecuador), and Callao (Peru).
- Bahamas / Turks & Caicos Service Fixed-day weekly sailings from Port Everglades, Florida to the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos, providing services for containers, refrigerated cargo, vehicles, heavy equipment, and flexible charter services.
- Manzanillo / Colombia / Aruba / Curacao Service Fixed-day weekly sailings between Port Everglades, Florida and Manzanillo (Colombia), Aruba, and Curacao, including service to Barranquilla and Cartagena, Colombia via the Panama transshipment hub.
Companies that use King Ocean Services
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
King Ocean Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
King Ocean Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SAMAR S.A. (Haiti)coreLocal shipping agent in Haiti handling King Ocean's Port-au-Prince operations including cargo handling and local customer service at 30 Rues des Nimes Blvd Toussaint Louverture, Port-au-Prince.
- C&V Caribbean Shipping Limited (Guyana)coreLocal agent in Guyana handling shipping operations and customer service at 109 Laluni Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.
- Integra Marine & Freight Services N.V. (Suriname)coreLocal shipping agent in Suriname handling operations and customer service at Van't Hogerhuysstraat 13-15 NHBC- Building, Paramaribo.
- Agentes y Estibadores Portuarios S. A. (Dominican Republic)coreLocal shipping agent in Dominican Republic handling port operations at Calle El Recodo No.2 Edif Monte Mirador, Apt. 401 Ensanche Bella Vista, Santo Domingo.
- Safe Cargo Services (Anguilla)coreLocal shipping agent in Anguilla handling port operations at P.O. Box 1637 Sandy Ground, George Hill.
- Consolidated Maritime Services (Antigua)coreLocal shipping agent in Antigua handling port operations at Old Parham Road, St. John's.
- Goddards Shipping (Barbados) LimitedcoreLocal shipping agent in Barbados handling operations at Fontabelle, St. Michael, Barbados.
- Romasco Group (British Virgin Islands)coreLocal shipping agent in BVI handling operations at Ste 115 Harbour House Water Front Drive, Road Town Tortola.
- Dominica Freight SystemscoreLocal shipping agent in Dominica handling operations at Canefield Industrial Site, P.O. 40, Roseau.
- Jonas Browne & Hubbard (Grenada) LtdcoreLocal shipping agent in Grenada handling operations at P.O. Box 25 St. George's.
- CTC St. Maarten (Curacao Trading Co.)coreLocal shipping agent in St. Maarten handling operations at Ground Dove Rd 1, Pointe Blanche, St. Maarten.
- Minvielle & Chastanet, Ltd (St. Lucia)coreLocal shipping agent in St. Lucia handling operations at P.O. Box 99 Bridge St, Castries.
- Corea & Co.(1988) Ltd. (St. Vincent)coreLocal shipping agent in St. Vincent handling operations at Coreas Building Halifax Street, Kingstown.
- Martainer Inc. (LCL Consolidator)coreLCL consolidation partner and warehouse facility at 13155 NW 19th Lane, Sweetwater, FL 33182 for handling less-than-container load cargo.
- Olarte Transport (Los Angeles)minorWest coast LCL cargo handler at 1125 East Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021.
- Seanautic Marine Inc. dba CARIBBEAN EXPRESS LINE (Montreal)minorCanadian LCL cargo handler at 20 rue Saint-Paul O., Montreal QC H2Y 1Y7.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
King Ocean Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tropical Shipping: Tropical Shipping is one of the closest direct competitors to King Ocean Services, operating ocean cargo services between the US (primarily Florida) and the Caribbean basin, Bahamas, and Central America with similar FCL, LCL, and reefer offerings for the same B2B shipper base.
- Seaboard Marine: Seaboard Marine is a direct competitor providing ocean freight services between the US East Coast and the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, offering containerized, refrigerated, and project cargo similar to King Ocean's core portfolio.
- Crowley Maritime Corporation: Crowley operates Liner Services shipping containers between the US, Caribbean, and Central America with reefer, FCL, and specialized cargo capabilities — directly overlapping with King Ocean's Florida-Caribbean trade lanes and customer segments.
- Trailer Bridge: Trailer Bridge provides ocean and overland transportation services between the US and Puerto Rico/Dominican Republic/Caribbean using RoRo and container vessels — a direct peer in the US-Caribbean trade niche with comparable service portfolio.
- Caribbean Shipping Agencies: Caribbean Shipping is a regional consolidator and NVOCC offering LCL and FCL services between the US and Caribbean islands — overlapping with King Ocean's LCL consolidation business and serving similar smaller shipper segments.
Broad incumbents
- ZIM Integrated Shipping Services: ZIM is a global ocean carrier with a meaningful Caribbean and Central America presence, offering containerized and refrigerated services on routes that compete with King Ocean's niche lanes but as part of a much broader global network.
- CMA CGM: CMA CGM is one of the world's largest ocean carriers with established Caribbean and Latin America services, providing container, reefer, and project cargo options that compete broadly with King Ocean on the same Western Hemisphere trade lanes.
- Maersk Line: Maersk is the world's largest container shipping company with Caribbean and Latin America services; while operating at vastly greater scale, it competes for the same FCL/LCL/reefer cargo moving between Florida and the Caribbean basin.
- Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM): HMM is a global container shipping line with reefer and container services reaching Caribbean and Latin American ports, competing for refrigerated and dry cargo on trade lanes where King Ocean operates.
Emerging players
- Matson Navigation Company: Matson operates Pacific ocean shipping services between the US West Coast, Hawaii, Guam, China, and South Pacific — a different regional geography but with a comparable business model of dedicated, fixed-day weekly ocean liner services and similar reefer/project cargo capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
King Ocean Services social profiles
Digital presenceKing Ocean Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
King Ocean Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
King Ocean Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
King Ocean Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
King Ocean Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
King Ocean Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about King Ocean Services
What does King Ocean Services do?
King Ocean Services is a maritime cargo shipping company that operates weekly fixed-day ocean freight services between Port Everglades, Florida and destinations throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. It transports containerized cargo (FCL and LCL), refrigerated goods, vehicles, heavy equipment, and project cargo using a diversified fleet of vessels and a network of regional agents. The company also provides LCL consolidation services, charter services with landing craft and barges, and shipping documentation/compliance support.
Is King Ocean Services a public or private company?
King Ocean Services is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was King Ocean Services founded?
King Ocean Services was founded in 1982. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is King Ocean Services based?
King Ocean Services is headquartered in Doral, United States, in the North America region.
How does King Ocean Services make money?
One revenue line is on record: ocean Freight Transportation.
Who are King Ocean Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tropical Shipping, Seaboard Marine, Crowley Maritime Corporation, Trailer Bridge and Caribbean Shipping Agencies. Broad incumbents are ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, CMA CGM, Maersk Line and Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM). Matson Navigation Company is listed as an emerging player.
Does King Ocean Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for King Ocean Services.
What industry is King Ocean Services in?
King Ocean Services's product category is Ocean Freight Shipping Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAHAD, Refrigerated Ocean Shipping (Reefer Containers & Specialized Reefer Vessels), with a secondary code of TLADAMAF, Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL). Its NAICS code is 483111 and its SIC code is 4412.