Reference Estimates — Not a Quote
Shipping Cost Breakdown
See every surcharge for your transport mode — reference cost, billing unit, and plain-language explanation. No forms to fill, just select a mode and browse.
21
Total Charges
15
Mandatory
6
Conditional
0
Potentially Negotiable
| Code | Charge Name | Reference Range | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAF | Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) A surcharge added to compensate for fluctuations in fuel (bunker) prices. Since ocean carriers' largest operating cost is fuel, BAF adjusts freight rates up or down based on oil price movements. It's typically reviewed quarterly or monthly. | $150 – $1,200 | Mandatory | |
| GRI | General Rate Increase (GRI) An announced increase to base ocean freight rates across a given trade lane, typically initiated by carrier alliances. GRI is usually applied on a specific date and affects all cargo on that lane simultaneously. Often used to restore profitability after a soft market. | $100 – $1,200 | Mandatory | |
| DTHC | Destination Terminal Handling Charge (DTHC) The THC charged at the port of destination (discharge). It covers the same terminal handling services at the destination port. In some regions, particularly West Africa, South America, and parts of Asia, DTHC is a major cost component and a frequent source of billing disputes. | $150 – $800 | Mandatory | |
| PCS | Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS) Applied when a destination port experiences severe congestion, resulting in extended waiting times for vessels, delayed cargo availability, and increased operational costs for carriers. Ports like Los Angeles/Long Beach (2021), Rotterdam, and Colombo have all seen PCS imposed during peak congestion periods. For LCL shipments, PCS is calculated per CBM of cargo. | $100 – $800 | Mandatory | |
| CIC | Carrier Imposed Charge (CIC) A generic surcharge imposed by carriers to cover rising operational costs that are not captured by standard rate increases or existing surcharges. The naming convention varies — some carriers call it 'Equipment Imbalance Charge', others 'Market Adjustment'. It is essentially a carrier profit/cover charge. | $50 – $500 | Mandatory | |
| ORC | Origin Receiving Charge (ORC) A terminal handling charge applied at the port of origin, identical in function to THC. ORC is the term commonly used in South China ports — particularly Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Hong Kong — to describe the charge for receiving containers at the terminal and loading them onto vessels. It covers all container handling operations from yard to ship. | $150 – $300 | Mandatory | |
| THC | Terminal Handling Charge (THC) A charge levied by the port terminal for handling containers at the port of loading. By default, THC refers to the origin terminal handling charge — the cost of moving containers from the terminal yard to the vessel at the loading port. It covers crane operations, stevedoring, loading/unloading, and administrative handling. This is the standard THC used at major export ports in China. | $100 – $250 | Mandatory | |
| CUC | Chassis Usage Charge (CUC) A charge for the use of container chassis (the wheeled frame on which a container is placed for truck/rail transport). In the US, chassis are often provided by chassis pools. CUC covers the cost of maintaining, storing, and managing the chassis fleet. | $50 – $300 | Mandatory | |
| LSS | Low Sulphur Surcharge (LSS) / IMO 2020 Surcharge Introduced when IMO 2020 (effective January 1, 2020) mandated that all ocean vessels use fuel with maximum 0.5% sulphur content (down from 3.5%). Carriers had to switch to low-sulphur fuel (VLSFO) or install scrubbers, both significantly increasing fuel costs. LSS compensates for this mandatory compliance cost. | $25 – $300 | Mandatory | |
| CAF | Currency Adjustment Factor (CAF) A surcharge applied to offset currency exchange rate fluctuations between the US Dollar (or another base currency) and the local billing currency. It's expressed as a percentage applied to the base ocean freight rate. | $15 – $240 | Mandatory | |
| SC | Security Charge (SC) A surcharge to cover the costs of enhanced security measures introduced after 9/11, including ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security) code compliance, security personnel, surveillance, and access control at ports and terminals. | $15 – $100 | Mandatory | |
| DOC | Documentation Fee (DOC) The administrative charge for preparing and processing shipping documentation, including the Bill of Lading (B/L), commercial invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin. Charged by both carriers and freight forwarders. | $25 – $80 | Mandatory | |
| YAS | Yokohama Assessment Surcharge (YAS) YAS originated as a surcharge specific to the Port of Yokohama in Japan to cover port facility assessment and improvement costs. It has since been used as a template by other Japanese ports and sometimes as a generic 'port assessment surcharge' by carriers operating in the Japan trade lane. | $10 – $80 | Mandatory | |
| ISF | Importer Security Filing (ISF) A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requirement mandating that importers (or their agents) file advance cargo information for all shipments entering the United States. ISF must be submitted 24 hours before vessel departure from the foreign port. Failure to file results in significant penalties. | $30 – $45 | Mandatory | |
| DDC | Destination Delivery Charge (DDC) In international LCL (Less than Container Load) business, a common destination charge collected by the destination co-loader (consolidation operator). Covers the cost of transporting cargo from the port terminal to the destination warehouse or designated location. Primarily appears in US and Canada trade routes. | $18 – $31 | Mandatory | |
| SPS | Special Peak Surcharge (SPS) A more severe form of PSS, applied during extreme peak periods or exceptional supply chain disruptions (port strikes, weather events, geopolitical crises). SPS typically exceeds PSS in magnitude and is announced with shorter notice. | $400 – $4,000 | Conditional | |
| PSS | Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) A temporary surcharge imposed during periods of exceptionally high demand — typically before Chinese New Year, in August-September (pre-Christmas), and during supply chain disruptions. Reflects the premium carriers can charge when capacity is tight. | $200 – $2,000 | Conditional | |
| WRS | War Risk Surcharge (WRS) A surcharge applied to cover the increased cost of insurance and routing adjustments when shipping through areas designated as war risk zones by marine insurance underwriters. Routes through the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and parts of Eastern Europe have historically triggered WRS. | $50 – $1,000 | Conditional | |
| EBS | Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) An emergency or temporary fuel surcharge applied when bunker prices spike unexpectedly beyond what the standard BAF already covers. Unlike regular BAF which is formula-based and announced, EBS is typically imposed suddenly during market crises (e.g., oil supply disruptions, geopolitical events). | $50 – $600 | Conditional | |
| HLC | Handling Charge (HLC) A standard operational fee charged by Chinese freight forwarders to cover basic services such as booking space, document processing, and cargo handling. This is a customary industry practice in China export shipping — a conventional charge that shippers encounter in freight quotes from Chinese forwarders. Similar to HLA (Handling Agent) at destination. | $30 – $50 | Conditional | |
| SEAL | Container Seal Fee The charge for high-security container seals (typically C-TPAT/ISO 17712 compliant bolt seals) used to secure containers during transport. Required by customs and carriers for security and liability purposes. | $5 – $7 | Conditional |
Important Notice
These are reference estimates based on China export freight market averages as of April 2026. Actual charges vary by carrier, booking volume, season, contract terms, and destination port. This table is for informational purposes only — request a formal freight quote from your forwarder before making procurement decisions. Rates shown are mid-range market values and may not reflect current spot rates.
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