01How long does shipping from Miami to Nicaragua take?
By sea on King Ocean, three to four days from Port Everglades to El Rama, then about a day by road to Managua. By air, the flight from Miami lands in Managua the same day it leaves. Add collection to our Miami dock before the cutoff, and clearance and delivery on the Nicaragua end.
02Does my cargo have to go through Honduras?
Not on King Ocean. Its vessel discharges at El Rama, a river port inside Nicaragua, so the container never enters a third country. Seaboard Marine routes through Puerto Cortés in Honduras and the container crosses into Nicaragua by road. We book both and will tell you which one your cargo is on.
03Where is El Rama, and why does it matter?
El Rama is a river port on the Escondido, about 40 miles in from Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast and about 290 km by road from Managua. Discharging there keeps the whole move under one country’s customs, so there’s no transit paperwork through Honduras and no border queue on the way in.
04When does the vessel sail, and what are the ocean cutoffs?
King Ocean sails every Friday. Cargo and shipping instructions are due at our Medley dock by Tuesday 5:00 PM, and the container is gated in at the terminal by Thursday 4:00 PM. Hazmat and bonded cargo close 24 hours earlier, Monday 5:00 PM. Miss Tuesday and the cargo waits for the following Friday. Seaboard Marine sails every Monday through Puerto Cortés and closes the Wednesday before at 12:00 PM.
05What are the air freight cutoffs to Managua?
Book by 12:00 PM and have the cargo on our dock by 2:00 PM, documents complete. Hazmat closes 24 hours earlier. Flights are daily and direct into Managua (MGA).
06Which carriers do you use on this lane?
Ocean is King Ocean out of Port Everglades and Seaboard Marine out of PortMiami. Air is Amerijet and UPS, both freighters, direct from Miami to Managua.
07Who handles customs clearance in Nicaragua?
Our agent in Managua is a customs house. It files the Nicaraguan import entry itself, unloads the container at its own warehouse and delivers on its own trucks. On the U.S. side we file the export (EEI through AES) as your authorized agent.
08Do you deliver outside Managua?
Yes. Our consolidations and air freight land in Managua, and from there our agent delivers to any city or town in Nicaragua. Tell us the address when you ask for the quote so the inland leg is priced in.
09Can you ship LCL, or do I need a full container?
Both. Smaller shipments consolidate with other Managua cargo in our Medley warehouse. Full containers run in 20′ standard and 40′ high cube. Send dimensions and weight and we’ll price it both ways.
10Can you ship dangerous goods to Nicaragua?
Yes, by sea and by air. Dangerous goods move on this lane every week. We need the Dangerous Goods Declaration and the MSDS before the truck arrives, and hazmat closes 24 hours before general cargo.
11Is there anything you won’t ship to Nicaragua?
Personal shipments and household goods. We move commercial cargo only. Refrigerated cargo can’t come through our Miami warehouse, so it loads into a reefer container at your facility.
12Do U.S. goods enter Nicaragua duty-free?
Often. CAFTA-DR has been in force between the U.S. and Nicaragua since April 1, 2006, and U.S.-origin goods that meet its rules of origin can enter duty-free. Your consignee makes the claim, using your documentation. This is general information, not customs advice. Confirm your goods with a licensed customs broker.
13Do the new U.S. tariffs on Nicaragua affect what I export?
No. The Section 301 tariffs USTR announced in December 2025 apply to Nicaraguan goods coming into the United States that don’t qualify under CAFTA-DR: 0% in 2026, 10% from January 1, 2027 and 15% from January 1, 2028. Exports from Miami to Nicaragua aren’t covered. If you also bring product north, check whether it qualifies as CAFTA-DR originating.
14What do you need from me to quote Miami to Nicaragua?
Sea, air, or both priced side by side. The pickup address, or whether you’ll deliver to our dock. The destination city in Nicaragua. Piece count, dimensions and weight. The commodity and its value. Any dangerous goods class. And the date it needs to land. A rate comes back within 4 business hours.
