What basic items are included in freight forwarding service fees?

In 2025, the basic charges for international freight forwarding are showing a trend toward standardization, primarily encompassing the following core items:

• Basic freight
  • Maritime Transportation: Charged by full container load (FCL)/less than container load (LCL), the 2025 benchmark price for 40HQ container shipping on Southeast Asia routes is $1800-$2500.
  • Air Transportation: The higher value between the actual weight and volumetric weight will be charged, with the China-US route priced at $4.5-$6.5/kg in 2025.
• Additional Charges
  • Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF): The ocean freight BAF for Q2 2025 is $450/TEU.
  • Peak Season Surcharge (PSS): An additional 15%-25% will be charged on specific routes from June to September.
• Document Processing Fee: Including bill of lading fee and manifest entry fee, averaging $50-$120 per shipment.

How are customs declaration and inspection fees calculated?

The composition of customs declaration fees in 2025 will undergo three major changes:

• Basic Customs Declaration Fee: $80-$150 per ticket, fluctuating based on the complexity of the HS code.
• Additional Inspection Fee: An additional charge of $200-$500 will be applied for goods subject to legal inspection.
• New regulation fees: According to the AEO certification requirements effective in 2025, advanced certified enterprises can enjoy a 30% reduction in inspection fees.

What are the hidden risks of destination port charges?

Customer complaint data from the past three years shows that 67% of disputed charges occur at the destination port:

• Demurrage (DETENTION): The standard rate for major shipping companies in 2025 is $120-$200 per day.
• Unpacking fee (DEVANNING): The average LCL (Less than Container Load) rate is $80/CBM.
• Special handling fee: Overweight container surcharge: $350-$800 (varies by port standards)

How to avoid encountering arbitrary charges?

Based on the procurement experience of Fortune 500 companies, three major preventive measures are recommended:

• Confirm the details of the quotation.
  • Please specify the validity period of the ALL-IN price.
  • Specify the currency settlement method (the proportion of cross-border RMB settlements had reached 42% by 2025).
• Lock-in Responsibility Clause: Stipulate the time limit for fee change notification in the service agreement.
• Select a certified freight forwarder: Priority will be given to FIATA members or WCA-certified enterprises.

What are the new charging items in 2025?

Industry monitoring indicates that the following new charging types require special attention:

• Carbon tariff pre - declaration fee: The EU CBAM imposes an additional charge of $150-$300 on covered goods.
• Data security fee: The GDPR compliance processing fee is approximately $80 per ticket.
• Digital service fees: The access fee for the Electronic Bill of Lading (EBL) system starts from $50.

How much do the charges vary between different modes of transportation?

Taking 1 ton of cargo from Shanghai to Los Angeles as an example (quoted in April 2025):

• LCL (Less than Container Load) shipping: $420 + $120 surcharge = Total $540
• Direct air freight: $5500 + $300 fuel fee = Total $5800
• China-Europe Railway Express: $3800 + $150 customs clearance fee = Total $3950