Caribtrans

What Caribtrans does

Caribtrans is a Miami-headquartered, Florida-incorporated non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) that has provided cargo shipping and consolidation services to Caribbean destinations since 1985. The company operates as a subsidiary/affiliate of Tropical Shipping, which supplies the underlying vessel capacity. Caribtrans is licensed by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (Bond No. NVOC1176, $85,000 surety) and files a public tariff via RateWave under 46 CFR 520.

The company's product portfolio is a tightly integrated freight forwarding stack: Ocean Freight (LCL and FCL) and Air Freight are the core revenue streams, supported by an Overland/ground transportation leg, a 9-terminal North America-wide LCL receiving network (Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Miami, Orlando, Toronto), and a 138,000 sq. ft. Miami warehouse for consolidation. Cargo Insurance and Additional Services (notably Vehicle Shipping) are sold as add-ons, while a proprietary operating system and the eServices web portal (eservices.caribtrans.com / login.caribtrans.com) provide online booking, account registration, and real-time shipment tracking down to the minute. The destination side is served through local agency partners, currently including Geo. F. Huggins & Co. in Grenada and Maduro Logistics in Aruba, with overall coverage spanning 30+ Caribbean locations including the Eastern Caribbean, Jamaica, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Cayman, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Puerto Rico, the USVI, and the Dutch Caribbean.

Caribtrans makes money on a per-shipment transaction basis: quote-based mainline ocean and air freight rates, supplemented by a detailed schedule of publicly disclosed assessorial charges (B/L fee, pallet charges, chassis usage, OTHC, hazardous cargo, vehicle transfer/drop-off, storage, FCL loading, re-handling, terminal transfers). The customer base is a hybrid of individuals shipping personal effects and SMB/enterprise commercial shippers moving FCL/LCL, vehicles, and project cargo; the go-to-market is inside sales via Miami and NY/NJ offices, supplemented by a self-service eServices portal and direct-response CTAs (Get a Quote, Create Booking). The business is privately held, with no disclosed funding, M&A, or cap-table information.

Name

Caribtrans

Legal name

Caribtrans Logistics and Construction Company Limited

Website

https://caribtrans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Caribtrans is a Miami-based NVOCC freight forwarder, founded 1985 and affiliated with Tropical Shipping, that provides LCL/FCL ocean, air, and overland cargo shipping from a North America-wide LCL receiving terminal network to 30+ Caribbean destinations, supported by a proprietary operating system and eServices portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding / Caribbean Cargo Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111)

SIC

Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier) Ocean Consolidation (LCL) (TLACALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

NVOCC Operations & Ocean Consolidation (TLACABAC), FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA)

Keywords

• Caribbean freight forwarding
• Ocean cargo services
• LCL consolidation shipping
• Air freight logistics
• International cargo shipping

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ocean Freight: Core revenue stream; ocean freight forwarding of FCL, LCL, break bulk, vehicles, and special cargo to Caribbean destinations using state-of-the-art vessels via parent/main carrier Tropical Shipping.
2. Air Freight: Premium air freight services to the same Caribbean destinations served by sea for time-sensitive cargo.
3. Cargo Insurance: Deductible-free cargo insurance sold as an add-on to shipments to protect cargo value above standard liability limits.
4. LCL Receiving / Warehousing: Receiving cargo at LCL Container Freight Stations (CFS) across the US and Canada, then consolidating and forwarding to Miami for ocean transport. Managed services include palletization, shrink-wrap, banding, loading/unloading, and storage.
5. Overland / Inland Transportation: Ground transportation paired with LCL receiving terminals to move cargo from any US/Canada point to the Miami shipping port. Includes drayage, chassis usage, inland operations surcharge, and waiting time charges.
6. Assessorial Charges & Surcharges: Wide array of regulatory and operational surcharges billed per shipment, including Bill of Lading fee ($40), pallet charge ($10/pallet), origin terminal handling charge, chassis usage surcharge, storage charges, hazardous cargo surcharge, non-operating vehicle surcharge, vehicle drop-off, and bunker/fuel surcharges.
7. Additional Services: Range of supplementary services covering vehicle shipping (with specialized vehicle coordination), customs documentation, and tailored logistics solutions for complex deliveries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caribtrans is a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) providing end-to-end international freight forwarding from the U.S. and Canada to over 30 Caribbean destinations. Its core services include ocean (LCL and FCL) and air freight, supported by a nationwide LCL receiving terminal (CFS) network, inland ground transportation, a 138,000 sq. ft. Miami consolidation warehouse, cargo insurance, and a proprietary eServices web portal for online booking and real-time shipment tracking. Tropical Shipping is the parent company and primary vessel operator.

Product overview

Caribtrans Logistics offers a unified, end-to-end Caribbean freight forwarding portfolio rather than a modular SaaS platform. Its core services — Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Overland, and LCL Receiving — are tightly integrated so cargo can move from any U.S. or Canadian point of origin through Caribtrans's nationwide LCL Receiving Terminals, into its 138,000 sq. ft. Miami warehouse, and onward by sea or air to over 30 Caribbean destinations. Cargo Insurance and Additional Services (including specialized Vehicle Shipping) sit as add-ons around this core transit flow, while the eServices customer portal (eservices.caribtrans.com) provides the digital layer for booking, quoting, and real-time shipment tracking that ties the physical services together.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Caribtrans eServices: Online booking and shipment management portal operated by Caribtrans for customer bookings, tracking, and account self-service.

Products and services

• Ocean Freight Core LCL (less-than-containerload) and FCL (full-containerload) ocean shipping service from the U.S. (mainly Miami, Port Everglades, and Port of Palm Beach) to over 30 Caribbean destinations, with weekly sailings supported by Caribtrans's 138,000 sq. ft. warehouse and proprietary operating system. Serves both commercial shippers and individuals.
• Air Freight Premium expedited air cargo service shipping to the same Caribbean destinations served by ocean freight, designed for fast, time-sensitive deliveries.
• Overland (Ground Transportation) Ground transportation service that, paired with Caribtrans's nationwide LCL Receiving Terminals, moves cargo from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada to the company's Miami shipping port. Includes drayage, chassis usage, inland operations surcharge, and waiting time charges.
• LCL Receiving Nationwide LCL (less-than-containerload) receiving terminals across the U.S. and Canada that consolidate cargo for forwarding to Caribtrans's main port in Florida prior to ocean shipment. Includes palletization, shrink-wrap, banding, loading/unloading, and storage.
• Cargo Insurance Deductible-free cargo insurance offered at an affordable price to protect customers' shipments during transit to the Caribbean.
• Additional Services Range of supplemental services covering specialized cargo handling, vehicle shipping, customs documentation, and tailored logistics solutions for complex deliveries.
• eServices Customer Portal
• Vehicle Shipping Specialized Ro-Ro and containerized vehicle shipping service to the Caribbean, handling all required paperwork (title, bill of sale, EIN, power of attorney, identification). Pre-booking is required and vehicles are shipped on a space-available basis; covers cars, non-operating vehicles, and electric vehicles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35 years (since 1985) of continuous Caribbean shipping service
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship and core.

• Maduro LogisticsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 July 2024Caribtrans announced a new agency relationship with Maduro Logistics on July 5, 2024, adding Aruba as a new port destination. The partnership extends Caribtrans' Caribbean agency network and provides local representation, customer service, and LCL/FCL/AIR handling for shipments to Aruba.
• Geo. F. Huggins & Co. (G'da) LtdmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 October 2020Caribtrans' official branded agency in Grenada effective November 16, 2020. Huggins is a 100% Grenadian-owned entity with 17 departments across 13 business sectors and over 100 years of service to Grenada. Provides LCL, FCL and AIR services as well as customer service for shipments to Grenada. Located at The Carenage, St. George's, Grenada, W.I.; Tel 1 (473) 440-2031.
• Tropical ShippingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and main ocean carrier for Caribtrans. Tropical Shipping operates the vessels used for Caribtrans' ocean freight services and collaborates on container cleaning (COVID-19 EPP power-wash protocol), safety, and underlying vessel operations. Reference: tropical.com.
• RateWave Tariff Services, Inc.coreOthersCaribtrans' Tariff Publisher, maintaining an official electronic copy of the Carrier's FMC Tariff in conformity with 46 CFR 520 (as amended) at ratewave.com. Located at 1760 Reston Parkway, Suite 401, Reston, VA 20190-3360. Telephone 703-467-0825.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Tropical Shipping: Parent company and main ocean carrier for Caribtrans; operates the vessels used for Caribtrans' Caribbean sailings and collaborates on safety and container cleaning protocols. Included as a related/parent reference rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• TOTE Maritime: US ocean carrier with dedicated Caribbean and Puerto Rico service from Jacksonville and San Juan. Comparable lane structure, especially given Caribtrans' Jacksonville CFS presence.
• Seaboard Marine: NVOCC and ocean carrier serving the Caribbean, Central America, and South America from US ports. Comparable LCL/FCL consolidation model and regional specialization targeting similar SMB and individual shippers.
• King Ocean Services: NVOCC specializing in ocean freight between the US and the Caribbean basin with consolidation services. Directly competes in the same US-Caribbean LCL/FCL lane as Caribtrans.
• Crowley Maritime: Major US-based ocean carrier and logistics provider with significant Caribbean and Latin America coverage, including LCL/FCL services from US Gulf and East Coast ports. Directly comparable in Caribbean shipping lane and customer base.
• Shipco Transport: Global NVOCC with strong Caribbean and Latin America consolidation services. Competes directly in LCL consolidation from US East Coast ports to Caribbean island destinations.

Broad incumbents

• JAS Forwarding: Global freight forwarder offering ocean, air, and logistics services across the Caribbean and Latin America. Comparable as a broader incumbent with overlapping Caribbean capability.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with global ocean, air, and overland services including Caribbean lanes. Competes with Caribtrans on SMB and enterprise Caribbean contracts but as a broad portfolio player.
• CEVA Logistics: Global supply chain and freight forwarding company with Caribbean and Latin America ocean freight capability. Overlaps with Caribtrans on SMB commercial cargo to Caribbean destinations.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Global logistics incumbent offering ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and supply chain solutions including the Caribbean. Adjacent competitor on enterprise and SMB cross-border Caribbean shipments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/caribtrans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caribtrans
• Instagraminstagram.com/caribtranslogistics

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caribtrans