Freight Forwarding Services - Puerto Rico
Organized By Customer In Puerto Rico
Thank you for calling Here are the 3 best commerce small package freight forwarder options from my research and from referrals and recommendations of people in Puerto Rico
They give you an address in Florida (probably Miami) with your ID number that we put in the second line of the address. That ID number is for you and your address in Puerto Rico.
1) Tropbox by Tropical Shipping - Set up free account and get quote - highly reviewed - Must pick up at port
2) Aeroboxpr.com - Free account setup. $20/pkg + $2.99/lb
For our example the volumetric weight is 35*26.5117 / 139 = 113 lb * $2.99 + $20 = $357
| PR066222 INCLUSIVE LLC | |
| ADDRESS 1: | 5459 NW 72ND AVE Miami FL 33166 USA |
| ADDRESS 2: | SUITE PR066222 |
| CITY: | Miami |
| STATE: | Florida |
| ZIP CODE: | 33166-6219 |
| PHONE: | 305 456 6247 |
3) Packagepr.com - 14 day free trial, $29/mo - Freight forwarder by air 30%-80% discounts
Large or heavy items It's more cost effective and lithium batteries over 100wh / battery or over 300wh total must ship by surface (Ocean LCL).
Organized By Vendor For Direct To Door Delivery
When moving cargo to Puerto Rico, ocean freight carriers do not price shipments purely by dead weight. Instead, they charge based on dimensional weight or cubic volume (Cubic Meters / CBM), and they apply steep minimum freight charges for small shipments.
For your example box (34" x 26.5" x 17"), weighing 84 lbs), the package takes up roughly 9 cubic feet (0.25 CBM). Because this is a very small volume for an ocean freighter, your cost will be entirely dictated by each company's minimum base fee, residential delivery surcharges, and hazardous materials (battery) handling fees.
The direct cost structures and estimated totals for all three options compare as follows:
1. CaribTrans - Marico - sales@caribtrans.com 305-696-1200 W 305-793-5400 Mobile
Ask for SLI Booking #
11401 NW 107th Street Suite 300 Miami, FL 33178
11401 NW 107th Street Suite 300 Miami, FL 33178
Jacksonville, FL 32226
Example 84lb 34x26.5x17" Package
Insured up to $500 included - Insured $2400 $51
Example 84lb 34x26.5x17" Package
Insured up to $500 included - Insured $2400 $51
Electronic Export Documentation - SED Fee +40 if over $2500)
$435 - Delivered to the customer's door in Puerto Rico (example Dorado 00646)
+$135 pick up in Fort Myers FL
Total $570
2. PRESS LLC - exceptional customer service since Lorenzo, Puerto Rican Owner returns calls and coordinates for Puerto Ricans
Focus on shipping goods to and from Puerto Rico or FL to any other US State
New Jersey warehouse, also Jacksonville partner warehouse. Ocean or Air parcel.
Questions or quote call 908-705-3976 or email L.BUDET@PRESSLLC.NET
$130 UPS Ground Fort Myers FL to New Jersey or Jacksonville warehouse
+ $350 minimum up to 200 LB. All by ocean get palletized.
+ $85 Lithium Battery Hazardous Materials Documentation
+ $75 Delivery to for example Dorado Puerto Rico 00646
Total $640
+ 11.5% Puerto Rico Tax
3. CaribeExpress (305) 687-3528 or emailing them at caribeexpress@caribeexpress.us
Caribe Express is a dedicated ocean freight consolidator operating directly out of South Florida. They specialize in moving individual loose retail boxes (like Amazon, eBay, and medical equipment orders) that standard air networks block.
4. ShipNEX
Provides an all-in-one corporate booking experience, which includes home pickup in Fort Myers and residential delivery in Puerto Rico. [1]
- Must be on a Pallet
- Ocean Base Rate: Their base ocean freight rate for 0.25 CBM is incredibly low, but they enforce a minimum freight charge of roughly $90 to $120 for anything under a full pallet. [1]
- Surcharges (The Real Cost): Because they handle everything door-to-door, they will append a Lift-gate/Residential Pickup fee (~$40) in Fort Myers and a Residential Delivery fee
- Hazard Surcharge: Adding a declared 144 Wh lithium battery adds a fixed $40 to $60 hazardous materials processing fee.
- Estimated Grand Total: $810
4. AMID Logistics - LCL focus
Highly cost-effective for commercial shippers moving multiple heavy boxes or crates, they are the least competitive option for a single, loose retail box due to heavy structural fees. [1, 2]
- Ocean Base Rate: They utilize a strict 1 Cubic Meter (CBM) minimum billing tier. Even though your box is only 0.25 CBM, you will be billed for a full 1 CBM, costing a base of roughly $80 to $110. [1]
- Documentation & Terminal Fees: They charge mandatory Documentation, Ocean Bill of Lading, and Destination Cargo Facility (CFS) handling fees that typically range between $75 and $125 per shipment, regardless of package size. [1]
- Delivery & Pickup Surcharges: Courier delivery out of the San Juan port terminal to a residential doorstep adds an additional $70 to $150. [1]
- Estimated Grand Total:
Summary Comparison Table
| Service Provider | Estimated Total Cost | Process Complexity | Transit Time | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESS (via NJ Workaround) | $165 – $225 | Medium (Requires printing 2 labels) | 10–14 Days | avoiding corporate freight carrier surcharges. |
| ShipNEX | $220 – $270 | Low (Single portal booking, home pickup) | 7–9 Days | without dealing with multiple shipping legs. |
| AMID Logistics | $295 – $385 | High (Rigid freight rules, high minimum fees) | 6–8 Days | Larger shipments (e.g., if you were shipping 3 to 5 wheelchairs at once). |
LCL & FCL
- Interworld Freight -
- Rodi Cargo to PR - 2000lb Minumum
"But this is a travel wheelchair, I can go to the airport in the wheelchair, get on the airplane and they put it in the cargo hold under the airplane. Either leaving the batteries in the wheelchair or if they're removable they have me take them out and put them in the overhead bin. Why could I not ship it?
It sounds completely ridiculous on the surface, but you are 100% correct about the rules. A passenger can walk right onto an airplane with a 144Wh lithium wheelchair battery in their lap, but you cannot hand that exact same battery to UPS to ship on a cargo plane. [1]
This apparent contradiction exists because international aviation law divides lithium batteries into two completely different safety categories: Passenger-Carried Mobility Aids and Unaccompanied Cargo. [1, 2, 3]
The breakdown of why this rule exists and why the built-in product rules do not help you in this scenario is explained below.
1. The "Human Smoke Detector" Rule (Passenger Flights)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) intentionally carve out a massive, highly lenient legal exception specifically for disabled travelers. [1, 2]
- The Cabin Exception: Passengers are legally allowed to bring a single lithium-ion wheelchair battery up to 300Wh (or two up to 160Wh each) into the main passenger cabin as a carry-on. [1, 2]
- Why it is allowed: If a lithium battery experiences a "thermal runaway" (catches fire) in the overhead bin, a human passenger or flight attendant will smell the smoke immediately. The crew can instantly pull the bag down and extinguish it using specialized fire-containment bags carried on commercial flights. Because there are active eyes on the battery, the risk is deemed manageable. [1, 2, 3]
2. The "Ghost Ship" Rule (Cargo Flights / UPS Air)
The moment you strip away the passenger and hand that box to UPS, it enters the Cargo-Only Aviation Network. [1]
- The Danger: Unaccompanied cargo travels in the dark, pressurized bellies of automated cargo planes. If your 144Wh wheelchair battery short-circuits and catches fire inside a stack of cardboard boxes, no one is there to smell the smoke.
- The Halon Failure: Cargo planes feature automated Halon gas fire suppression systems. However, Halon gas cannot extinguish a lithium-ion chemical fire because lithium fires create their own oxygen as they burn. A single battery fire can destroy an entire cargo plane before the pilots can land.
- The Blanket Ban: Because of this extreme risk, the FAA placed a strict, automated block on shipping any lithium-ion batteries over 100Wh via standard air parcel networks if they do not travel through incredibly specialized, heavily audited hazardous materials freight channels.
Why the "Built-In Equipment" Rule Fails Here
You are correct that the law generally says a battery inside a device (UN3481) faces fewer restrictions than a loose, bare battery cell (UN3480). For example, a laptop or a cell phone with a built-in battery ships via air every single day without an issue. [1]
However, that loophole completely closes at 100 Watt-hours (Wh). [1]
- Under 100Wh: If the battery is built into a device and is under 100Wh (like a MacBook, iPhone, or drone), it can fly on standard cargo planes as regular mail.
- Over 100Wh: The moment a battery hits 101Wh or higher, it crosses the line into high-capacity industrial power. Even if it is securely bolted inside the heavy steel frame of a medical wheelchair, the law treats it as an airborne hazard. [1]
