Freight costs and charges at a glance

Every charge on a shipment, from measuring the cargo to the landed cost at destination, with the free calculator and the guide for each step.

1. Measure the cargo

Volume, weight and how the cargo fits decide how freight is charged. Work them out before asking for quotes.

Calculators

CBM calculatorVolume, container fit and chargeable weight Volumetric weightChargeable weight for DHL, FedEx, UPS and air Container loadingHow many cartons fit in a 20ft or 40ft

Guides

LTL freight class (NMFC): the 2025 density scale and how to calculate itHow US LTL freight class works after NMFC Docket 2025-1 (effective 19 July 2025): the 13-step density scale from class 400 to class 50, how to…VGM (Verified Gross Mass) Explained: SOLAS Rules, Method 1 vs Method 2 and How to Calculate ItWhat the VGM is, who must declare it under SOLAS chapter VI regulation 2, how Method 1 and Method 2 work, a calculation example, signatures and…

2. Sea freight and surcharges

Full container or shared container, and the surcharges and local charges that come on top of the base rate.

Calculators

LCL charges (W/M, CFS)Revenue tons, CFS and storage

Guides

FCL vs LCL: when to book a full container or share oneFCL vs LCL sea freight explained: how LCL consolidation at a CFS works, W/M pricing (1 CBM = 1 tonne), the 13–17 CBM breakeven, extra transit…Ocean freight surcharges explained: BAF, LSS, THC, PSS, GRI, EU ETSWhat the extra lines on a sea freight quote mean: bunker (BAF/MFR), low sulphur (IMO 2020), terminal handling (THC), peak season (PSS), rate…

3. At the port: demurrage and detention

Charges for keeping containers at the terminal or outside it after the free time.

Calculators

Demurrage & detentionLast free day and D&D charges

Guides

Demurrage and Detention Explained: Meaning, Free Time and How to Calculate the ChargesWhat demurrage, detention, combined free time and storage mean for containers, when the clock starts and stops, how to calculate the charges with…

4. Loss, damage and shared costs

What the carrier pays if cargo is lost or damaged, when cargo owners share the cost of saving a voyage, and how cargo insurance fills the gap.

Guides

Carrier liability limits for lost cargo: Hague-Visby, COGSA, Montreal, CMRHow much a carrier pays for lost or damaged cargo: Hague-Visby 666.67 SDR per package or 2 SDR per kg, US COGSA USD 500 per package, Montreal 26…General average explained: what cargo owners must do when it is declaredGeneral average under the York-Antwerp Rules 2016: why every cargo owner shares the cost of saving the ship, the bond, guarantee or cash deposit…Cargo Insurance: Institute Cargo Clauses A, B and C Compared, 110% Cover and CIF vs CIPWhat Institute Cargo Clauses (A), (B) and (C) 2009 cover and exclude, warehouse-to-warehouse duration, the 110% insured value, what CIF and CIP…

5. Landed cost at destination

Customs value, duty and VAT, and the cost per unit once everything is added up.

Calculators

Landed cost & dutyCIF, import duty, VAT/GST and cost per unit Cost per unitSplit freight and duty across products

Guides

How Import Duty Is Calculated: Customs Value on a CIF or FOB Basis by CountryHow customs value and import duty are calculated: transaction value, whether freight and insurance are added (EU, UK, Japan) or left out (US,…Import Duty and VAT by Country 2026: CIF or FOB Value, VAT Rates, Parcel LimitsA 2026 comparison of import taxes in 29 markets: whether duty is charged on a CIF or FOB value, the import VAT or GST rate, and low-value parcel…

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