Estimate your total container shipping costs including surcharges
20′ Standard Container
40′ Standard Container
40′ High Cube Container
45′ High Cube Container
Shipping Estimate Summary
Total Cost:
Understanding Sea Freight Rates and Surcharges
Navigating the complexities of international shipping requires a clear understanding of how sea rates are structured. Unlike simple courier services, ocean freight involves various layers of pricing that can fluctuate based on global trade routes, fuel costs, and port efficiency.
Key Components of Ocean Shipping Costs
Base Ocean Freight: This is the core cost of transporting a container from port to port. It varies significantly between "High Traffic" routes (like China to USA) and less busy lanes.
Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF): This is a floating surcharge applied to account for fluctuations in fuel prices. It is usually calculated as a percentage of the base rate or a fixed amount per TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit).
Terminal Handling Charges (THC): Fees charged by port terminals for handling containers at both the origin and destination ports. These cover the labor and equipment costs of moving the container from the vessel to the yard.
Security & Documentation: Fixed fees for manifest filings (like AMS or ISF) and port security measures.
Practical Calculation Example
If you are shipping two 40′ containers with a base rate of $2,000 each, a BAF of 10%, and THC of $300 per unit:
Base Total: 2 x $2,000 = $4,000
BAF (10% of $4,000): $400
THC Total: 2 x $300 = $600
Final Estimated Cost: $5,000
How to Optimize Your Sea Rates
To reduce your shipping expenses, consider FCL (Full Container Load) even if you don't fill the entire space, as LCL (Less than Container Load) rates per cubic meter are often much higher. Additionally, booking during the "slack season" (typically between Lunar New Year and early autumn) can yield significantly lower base rates compared to the peak shipping season before the holidays.
function calculateOceanFreight() {
var quantity = parseFloat(document.getElementById('unitQuantity').value);
var baseRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('baseOceanRate').value);
var bafPerc = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bafPercentage').value) || 0;
var thcRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('thcRate').value) || 0;
var misc = parseFloat(document.getElementById('miscFees').value) || 0;
var containerType = document.getElementById('containerType').options[document.getElementById('containerType').selectedIndex].text;
if (isNaN(quantity) || isNaN(baseRate) || quantity <= 0 || baseRate < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers for Quantity and Base Rate.");
return;
}
var totalBase = quantity * baseRate;
var totalBAF = totalBase * (bafPerc / 100);
var totalTHC = quantity * thcRate;
var grandTotal = totalBase + totalBAF + totalTHC + misc;
var breakdownHtml = 'Cargo Details: ' + quantity + ' x ' + containerType + " +
'Base Freight: $' + totalBase.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}) + " +
'Bunker Surcharge (BAF): $' + totalBAF.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}) + " +
'Terminal Fees (THC): $' + totalTHC.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}) + " +
'Other Fees: $' + misc.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}) + ";
document.getElementById('breakdown').innerHTML = breakdownHtml;
document.getElementById('finalTotal').innerText = '$' + grandTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('resultArea').style.display = 'block';
// Smooth scroll to result
document.getElementById('resultArea').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}