What items are actually included in freight forwarder export fees?

Freight forwarder export fees mainly consist ofbasic transportation feesandValue Added Servicestwo major parts:

• The MaritimeCore Fees:
  • Ocean Freight (O/F)
  • The FuelAdditional fees(BAF)
  • Supplementary Seasonal Fees (PSS)
  • Port Congestion Surcharge (CGS)
• Customs Clearance Service Fee:
  • Customs Declaration and Inspection Service Fee
  • Document Processing Fee (AMS/ENS, etc.)
  • Certificate of Origin Fee
• Logistics Operation Fee:
  • The containerTrucking Fee
  • Terminal handling charges (THC)
  • Container Loading/Unloading Fee

What are the pricing methods for freight forwarder fees?

In 2025, the mainstream pricing methods still follow industry practices:

• Full Container Load (FCL): Charge a lump - sum price according to the container type (e.g., starting from about $3800 for 40HQ)
• Less than Container Load (LCL): Charge according to cubic meters or weight (whichever is higher)
• Special Surcharge：Extra charges are levied according to the characteristics of the goods (such as dangerous goods surcharge)

According to the industry statistics in 2023, the hidden costs of LCL transportation are 12% - 18% higher than that of FCL. It is recommended to choose FCL transportation preferentially when the cargo volume reaches 15m3.

What fees are easily overlooked by beginners?

• Destination Terminal Handling Charge (DTHC)：It has been generally charged on Southeast Asian routes in 2025
• Amendment Fee (AMS Amendment)：The cost for a single amendment ranges from $40 to $80
• Container Demurrage Fee：Charges are accumulated daily after the free period
• Seal Replacement Fee：$20 - $50 needs to be paid for accidental damage

How to avoid the risk of hidden costs?

Recommended adoptionThree Steps to Confirm Fees:

1. Request to provideAll - inclusive Price List(All - in Rate)
2. clearlyBase Date for Exchange Rate Conversion(It is recommended to lock in the exchange rate on the day of quotation)
3. confirmedTrigger Conditions for Fee Adjustment(Such as the threshold of oil price fluctuation range)

What are the latest bargaining strategies in 2025?

• Step - by - step Quotation Negotiation：A 5% - 8% discount can be obtained when the annual export volume reaches 100TEU
• Combined Service Package：Using shipping + customs declaration + insurance simultaneously can reduce the overall rate
• Off - season Lock - in Agreement：Signing a contract in Q2 can enjoy price protection for the whole year

How to verify the reasonableness of a quotation?

Recommended adoptionThree-dimensional price:

• Horizontal comparison：Obtain quotations from more than 3 freight forwarders
• Vertical Verification：Check ShanghaishippingSCFI index released by the exchange
• Historical Review：Compare the price fluctuations of the same route in the past 3 months

How are fees calculated for special goods?

• Transportation of Dangerous Goods：The basic freight is increased by 30% - 100%
• Oversized Cargo：Charges are calculated according to the loadable space of the container
• Temperature - controlled Cargo：An additional electricity supply fee of $800 - $1200 per container needs to be paid