Ocean · Sundays
Seaboard Marine
4 days
PortMiami to Santo Tomás. Guatemala City the next day.
Shipping from Miami to Guatemala
Two ships, one Thursday. Guatemala City on Friday.
Next sailing
- Cargo cutoff Wednesday 12:00 PM ET
- Santo Tomás Thursday
- Guatemala City Friday Holiday in Guatemala
Seaboard Marine sails Sundays from PortMiami and King Ocean sails Mondays from Port Everglades. Both reach Santo Tomás de Castilla on Thursday, and our agent delivers full containers in Guatemala City on Friday. By air, UPS and DHL fly every weekday and land the next day.
We respond within 4 business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM ET).
The week
Wednesday at noon, on our dock in Medley.
Cargo and documents on our dock by Wednesday at 12:00 PM ET make the sailings that follow: Seaboard on Sunday from PortMiami or King Ocean on Monday from Port Everglades. Both land at Santo Tomás on Thursday. Miss Wednesday and the cargo waits a week. Hazmat and bonded cargo close a day earlier, Tuesday at 12:00 PM.
- TueHazmat and bonded Tuesday 12:00 PMClosed this week
- WedCargo cutoff Wednesday 12:00 PM
- SunSeaboard Marine PortMiami, Sunday
- MonKing Ocean Port Everglades, Monday
- ThuSanto Tomás Thursday, both ships
- FriGuatemala City Friday
Dates are for the next sailing whose cutoff hasn’t passed, in Eastern Time. Carriers can change a sailing; we confirm the vessel when you book.
A cutoff that falls on a holiday when we’re closed moves to 12:00 PM the business day before. An EEI filing doesn’t move your cutoff. Transit times are what we book to, not a guarantee.
We’re closed for a holiday on a cutoff day this week, so that cutoff moves to 12:00 PM the business day before. The dates above include it.
The Guatemala City date above falls on a public holiday in Guatemala, so delivery can move to the next business day. We confirm it when you book.
Hazmat and bonded cargo have closed for these sailings. They can still make the ones a week later.
King Ocean’s Monday sailing above falls on a U.S. holiday. Carriers sometimes move a sailing by a day; we confirm when you book.
Ocean · Mondays
King Ocean
3 days
Port Everglades to Santo Tomás. Guatemala City the next day.
Air · Every weekday
UPS and DHL
1 day
Miami to La Aurora (GUA). Book by 12:00 PM, on our dock by 2:00 PM.
Port to capital
The port is kilometer 294. The capital is kilometer zero.
Guatemala counts its highway kilometers from kilómetro cero, a star in the reception hall of the National Palace in Guatemala City. Santo Tomás de Castilla gives its address as kilometer 294. The ship docks there on Thursday, and our agent’s trucks deliver in the city on Friday.
Around kilometer zero, our agent delivers in
- Guatemala City
- Mixco
- Villa Nueva
- Santa Catarina Pinula
- San Miguel Petapa
LCL is ready at our agent’s warehouse in Guatemala City a day or two after the full containers.
Sources: EMPORNAC, the Santo Tomás de Castilla port company (its address, Km. 294); AGN, Guatemala’s state news agency, November 10, 2023 (kilómetro cero).
Ocean and air
Two lines by sea. Two by air.
Full containers and LCL go every week, on Seaboard or King Ocean. Air is for what can’t wait for Thursday.
Ocean freight
Sunday and Monday- Carriers
- Seaboard Marine from PortMiami on Sundays and King Ocean from Port Everglades on Mondays, into Santo Tomás de Castilla.
- Full containers
- 20′, 40′, 40′ high cube and 45′ high cube. They load at our dock or at your door.
- LCL
- Smaller shipments are consolidated in our Medley warehouse into our own container for Guatemala, every week. Our agent unloads it at its own warehouse in Guatemala City.
- Out of gauge
- Flat racks and open tops for machinery that won’t fit a box.
- Vehicles
- New and used, shipped in containers. Guatemala bars some damaged vehicles and any with a non-repairable title, so check the title before you buy or ship.
- Refrigerated
- Cold cargo never comes through our Miami warehouse. It loads into a reefer container at your facility instead.
- Hazmat
- Moves on this lane, declared and documented before it reaches our dock. We don’t take explosives (class 1) or radioactive material (class 7). The cutoff is Tuesday 12:00 PM ET. See dangerous goods consulting.
Air freight
Every weekday- Carriers
- UPS and DHL, from Miami International.
- Lands at
- La Aurora International (GUA), in Zona 13 of Guatemala City.
- Cutoffs
- Book by 12:00 PM and have it on our dock by 2:00 PM, documents complete. It lands the next day.
- Security
- We tender under our own TSA Indirect Air Carrier certification.
- Hazmat
- Accepted under the stricter air rules, except classes 1 and 7. Send the DGD and MSDS before pickup.
Commercial cargo only. No firearms or ammunition, and no explosives or radioactive material.
Both ends
We load it in Medley. Our agent clears it in Guatemala.
Our agent in Guatemala City is licensed to clear customs. It files the import declaration, clears the cargo and delivers with its own trucks. You call our operations desk for both ends.
Miami · EFI, since 1992
Up to the ship.
- FMC-licensed NVOCC, OTI No. 018467
- U.S. export filing (EEI through AES) as your authorized agent
- 50,000 sq ft bonded warehouse with 18 dock doors
- Our own trucks across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
- Our own LCL container for Guatemala, every week
Guatemala City · our agent
From Santo Tomás to the door.
- A licensed customs agent. It files the DUCA, Guatemala’s import declaration
- Clears ocean and air cargo through Guatemalan customs
- Unloads our LCL container at its own warehouse
- Delivers with its own trucks across the Guatemala City metro area
Paperwork
Stamp the pallets. Ship the certification with the cargo.
Our agent files the import declaration. Most of what follows sits with the importer in Guatemala, but a container can stall on any line of it. Check it before the cargo leaves Miami.
Are the pallets stamped?
Wood pallets need the ISPM 15 heat-treatment mark. If one pallet in the container doesn’t have it, inspectors can hold the whole shipment for up to three days while the wood is treated. Ask your supplier for stamped pallets before anything ships.
Is the origin certification right?
If the importer claims the duty-free rate, Guatemala expects the CAFTA-DR certification of origin with the shipment, and importers have lost the rate over a wrong origin criterion. It can only be corrected at import, so have it checked before the cargo sails.
Guatemala side
Commercial invoice Seller and buyer, a full description, quantities, unit prices and the sale terms. Make sure it matches the packing list and the bill of lading.
Bill of lading or air waybill Depending on how it moves.
Packing list Send one that matches the invoice.
CAFTA-DR certification of origin With the shipment, when the importer claims the duty-free rate.
Registrations and permits For regulated goods, from the agency that covers the product. See the table below.
U.S. side, and the duty
EEI, filed by us
Most commercial shipments worth more than US$2,500 per Schedule B number need Electronic Export Information filed in AES. We file it as your authorized agent, at least 24 hours before the container is loaded for ocean and 2 hours before departure for air.
We handle thisCAFTA-DR, since 2006
The agreement has been in force between the U.S. and Guatemala since July 1, 2006, and U.S. consumer and industrial goods that meet its rules of origin enter duty-free. The claim rests on a certification from the importer, exporter or producer. It has no set form, and a shipment with a customs value of US$1,500 or less doesn’t need one. Guatemala’s 12% IVA (value-added tax) still applies, on the CIF value plus duties.
Optional, usually worth it| If you’re shipping | It goes through |
|---|---|
| Processed food and drinks | Ministry of Health (MSPAS) The importer registers each product before its first import, on the SNAP-GT platform. |
| Medicines, medical devices and cosmetics | Ministry of Health (MSPAS) Product registration with its pharmaceutical regulation department. For cosmetics, a company in Guatemala has to hold it. |
| Plants, animals and their products | Ministry of Agriculture (MAGA) Import permits from its vice-ministry for animal and plant health, VISAR. |
| Pesticides and fertilizers | Ministry of Agriculture (MAGA) Product registration with VISAR. Pesticide import licensing also involves the Ministry of Health. |
| Refrigerants, refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment | Ministry of Environment (MARN) An import license. |
This section is general information, not customs or legal advice. For your specific shipment, talk to a licensed customs broker. New to exporting? Start with our import and export guide.
Sources: U.S. International Trade Administration, Guatemala Country Commercial Guide (opens in a new tab): Import Requirements and Documentation, Trade Barriers and Trade Agreements, March 3, 2026; USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, FAIRS Country Report GT2025-0010, September 24, 2025; SAT, Guatemala’s tax and customs authority (IVA and the DUCA); WTO import licensing notification G/LIC/N/3/GTM/6, January 27, 2025; Acuerdo Gubernativo 133-2012, article 3; AGN, January 13, 2021, and Prensa Libre, January 21, 2021 (vehicle rules); USTR, CAFTA-DR Chapter 4; U.S. Foreign Trade Regulations (15 CFR Part 30) and CBP’s vehicle export rule (19 CFR 192.2), current as of October 7, 2026.
The licenses
Who stands behind your container.
| Credential | Issued by | What it means for your cargo |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed NVOCC, OTI No. 018467 | Federal Maritime Commission | Your cargo moves on our license, our bond and our bill of lading. |
| CTPAT partner | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | Container inspection and high-security seals on the containers we stuff. |
| Indirect Air Carrier | TSA | We tender air cargo to the airline under our own certification. |
| Bonded container freight station | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | Cargo can be received and held under bond in our Medley facility. |
| Registered food facility | FDA | Our warehouse is registered with the FDA as a food facility. |
- In freight since
- 1992
- Bonded warehouse in Medley
- 50,000 sq ft
- Dock doors
- 18
- Destinations from Miami
- 35
Questions
Your questions about shipping to Guatemala.
How long does shipping from Miami to Guatemala take?
By sea, the ship reaches Santo Tomás de Castilla on Thursday: three days on King Ocean from Port Everglades, four on Seaboard Marine from PortMiami. Full containers reach Guatemala City the next day, Friday, and LCL is ready a day or two later. By air, UPS and DHL land at La Aurora (GUA) the day after the flight. Add pickup to our Medley dock before the cutoff, and clearance and delivery on the Guatemala end.
When do the ships sail, and what’s the ocean cutoff?
Seaboard Marine sails Sundays from PortMiami and King Ocean sails Mondays from Port Everglades. Cargo and documents are due on our Medley dock by Wednesday 12:00 PM ET for the Sunday and Monday sailings that follow. Hazmat and bonded cargo close 24 hours earlier, Tuesday at 12:00 PM. Miss Wednesday and the cargo waits a week.
What are the air freight cutoffs?
Book by 12:00 PM ET and have the cargo on our dock by 2:00 PM with documents complete. UPS and DHL fly every weekday, and the cargo lands the next day. Hazmat closes 24 hours earlier.
Which carrier will my cargo go on?
Seaboard Marine from PortMiami on Sunday, or King Ocean from Port Everglades on Monday. Both arrive on Thursday, and we confirm the carrier and the vessel when you book.
Which port does my cargo arrive at?
Santo Tomás de Castilla, on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast in Izabal. Both carriers discharge there. Air freight lands at La Aurora International (GUA), in Guatemala City.
How does cargo get from Santo Tomás to Guatemala City?
By truck. Santo Tomás gives its address as kilometer 294, counted from kilómetro cero in the capital, and our agent’s trucks bring full containers in on Friday, the day after the ship. LCL is ready a day or two later.
Who handles customs clearance in Guatemala?
Our agent in Guatemala City is licensed to clear customs. It files the DUCA and clears ocean and air cargo through Guatemalan customs. On the U.S. side, we file the export (EEI through AES) as your authorized agent.
Which cities do you deliver to?
Guatemala City and the metro area around it: Mixco, Villa Nueva, Santa Catarina Pinula and San Miguel Petapa. Give us the address when you ask for the quote so the inland leg is priced in.
Can you ship LCL, or do I need a full container?
Both. Smaller shipments are consolidated in our Medley warehouse into our own container for Guatemala, which goes every week, and our agent unloads it at its own warehouse in Guatemala City. LCL is ready there a day or two after the full containers. Full containers run in 20′, 40′, 40′ high cube and 45′ high cube. Send dimensions and weight and we’ll price it both ways.
Can you ship dangerous goods to Guatemala?
Yes, by sea and by air, except explosives (class 1) and radioactive material (class 7). We need the Dangerous Goods Declaration and the MSDS before the truck arrives. Hazmat closes 24 hours before general cargo: Tuesday 12:00 PM ET for the Sunday and Monday ships.
Do U.S. goods enter Guatemala duty-free?
Usually, if they qualify. CAFTA-DR has been in force between the U.S. and Guatemala since July 1, 2006, and U.S. consumer and industrial goods that meet its rules of origin enter duty-free. Send the certification of origin with the shipment. The 12% IVA still applies. This is general information, not customs advice. Confirm your goods with a licensed customs agent.
Can I ship a vehicle to Guatemala?
Yes, new or used, in a container. Guatemalan law bars some damaged vehicles and any with a non-repairable title, so check the title before it ships. On the U.S. side, a used vehicle needs an EEI filing whatever its value, and the vehicle and its title documents must be presented to U.S. Customs at least 72 hours before export.
Is there anything you won’t ship to Guatemala?
Firearms and ammunition, explosives and radioactive material. We ship commercial cargo only. Food, medicines, agrochemicals and other regulated goods need a registration or permit from the agency that covers them, and cold cargo loads into a reefer at your facility instead of coming through our warehouse.
What do you need from me to quote Miami to Guatemala?
Tell us if you want sea, air or both priced side by side. The pickup address, or tell us you’ll deliver to our dock. The delivery address in Guatemala. Piece count, dimensions and weight. The commodity, its tariff code and its value. Any dangerous goods class. Cargo insurance, if you want us to arrange it. And the date it needs to land. We reply within 4 business hours.
Two ships every week
Tell us what’s going to Guatemala.
Ocean closes Wednesday at 12:00 PM ET for the Sunday and Monday ships. Air closes the day it flies: book by 12:00 PM and have it on our dock by 2:00 PM.
Next ocean cutoff ET
We respond within 4 business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM ET).
- Facility
- 7950 NW 77th Street,
Unit 1
Miami, FL 33166 (Medley) - Phone
- (305) 597-9595
- Hours
- Monday to Friday
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM ET - Operations desk
- ops@express-freight-intl.com
Guatemala is one of 35 destinations we ship to from Miami. See all shipping lanes
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