How container drayage works in Huntsville
Ocean containers can be picked up in Huntsville itself at the Port of Huntsville's International Intermodal Center, a rail terminal next to the airport on Norfolk Southern. Most drayage is short work for manufacturers in North Alabama and southern Tennessee.
- Terminal
- International Intermodal Center at Huntsville International Airport
- Volume
- 33,700+ rail lifts in 2024, the best year since 2008
- Typical moves
- IIC to plants in Madison, Limestone and Morgan counties
- Railroads
- Norfolk Southern, with CSX nearby
More about drayage in Huntsville
The Port of Huntsville is unusual: it is an airport, a rail terminal and an industrial park run as one operation.
Its International Intermodal Center (IIC), next to Huntsville International Airport, is linked to the Norfolk Southern mainline by a rail spur, and steamship lines route import and export containers through it to and from coastal ports. For local shippers, that means an ocean container can be cleared and picked up in Huntsville instead of at the coast.
Rail traffic at the IIC has been growing. The port reported more than 33,700 rail lifts in 2024, its best year since 2008, and passed one million total container lifts in March 2025. Most of that volume belongs to manufacturers in North Alabama and southern Middle Tennessee that import parts and export finished goods.
Drayage in Huntsville is therefore mostly short-haul work between the IIC and plants in Madison, Limestone and Morgan counties, plus regional runs north to Tennessee and south to Birmingham. Carriers that know the IIC's gate procedures and the large industrial sites around the airport can turn several loads a day.
1
Inland port
Railroads
Norfolk Southern · CSX
Main highways
I-565 · I-65 · US-72 · US-231 · US-431 · Alabama 255
Container terminals and rail ramps in Huntsville
Where containers are picked up and returned in the Huntsville area.
Inland port
International Intermodal Center
Inland port · Port of Huntsville / Norfolk Southern
Rail-served container terminal at Huntsville International Airport, connected to the Norfolk Southern mainline. Import and export containers for North Alabama and southern Tennessee.
Manufacturing and aerospace freight in North Alabama
Huntsville's economy is built on aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing. The Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant and its suppliers in Limestone County, engine and electronics plants, and a long list of defense contractors around Cummings Research Park all depend on reliable inbound parts and outbound shipments. Many of those parts arrive in containers from Asia and Europe.
Because so many shipments feed production lines, delivery windows are often strict. Carriers are asked to deliver live-unload containers at set times or drop containers at a plant's yard for later unloading. Shippers should explain the dock arrangement up front, since a drop with a later pickup is priced differently from a live unload.
Some aerospace and defense cargo is high-value or oversized. Those moves can need secure parking, team drivers or special trailers, so check that a carrier has the right experience before tendering them.
Rail through Huntsville versus trucking from the coast
For many importers, the choice is between bringing a container inland by rail to the IIC or trucking it directly from a seaport such as Savannah, Charleston or Mobile. Rail can reduce long-haul trucking cost and emissions, while a direct truck move may be faster for urgent freight. Ask your freight forwarder which ocean carriers offer through rail service to Huntsville and compare it with a door-to-door truck quote.
Containers that come in by rail still need a local truck for the last miles, and the free time for the container and chassis keeps counting while the box sits at the ramp. Having a Huntsville carrier lined up before the train arrives keeps storage and per diem costs down.
Exports work the same way in reverse: a carrier picks up an empty container, the shipper loads it, and the full box is returned to the IIC by the rail cutoff for the next train to the coast.
Common lanes out of Huntsville
Approximate one-way highway miles for the runs local carriers quote most often.
Decatur
Industrial plants along the Tennessee River.
25 mi
Birmingham
Down I-65; connects to Norfolk Southern's McCalla terminal.
100 mi
Nashville
Middle Tennessee distribution centers along I-65 North.
110 mi
Chattanooga
Manufacturing in East Tennessee via US-72.
110 mi
Atlanta
Rail ramps and distribution centers in metro Atlanta.
220 mi
Booking drayage in Huntsville: what to know
Local habits that change the price and timing of a move in Huntsville. Mention them when you ask for a quote.
Ask for through rail to Huntsville
Many ocean carriers can bill a container straight through to the International Intermodal Center. Ask your forwarder before booking a long truck move from the coast.
Explain live unload or drop
Plants in the area often have strict dock schedules. Tell the carrier whether the container will be unloaded on arrival or dropped in the yard, as pricing differs.
Watch the rail cutoff for exports
Export boxes must be back at the IIC before the train cutoff. Missing it can cost a full day or more of transit to the port.
Flag high-value cargo
Aerospace and defense freight may need secure handling or special trailers. Mention it in your quote request so the right carrier responds.
Check the airport-side gate
The International Intermodal Center shares its site with Huntsville International Airport and the Jetplex industrial park. Give the carrier the exact pickup reference so the driver goes to the right gate and does not lose time inside the complex.
Drayage markets near Huntsville
Many carriers that serve Huntsville also run these nearby ports and rail ramps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about container drayage in Huntsville, AL.