A container quotation is made up of the ocean freight plus charges at origin and at destination. Terminal handling charges pay for moving the container through the terminal; documentation fees cover the bill of lading and filing; CFS charges apply when cargo is consolidated; demurrage and detention are charged when a container sits too long at the port or outside it. Knowing which side of the voyage a charge belongs to is what makes two quotations comparable.
The charges you will see, and what each pays for
Swipe the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Charge | Charged by | When it applies | Side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal handling (THC) | Terminal operator | Every container passing through the terminal | Origin and destination |
| Documentation fee (DOC) | Carrier or forwarder | Bill of lading issuance and manifest filing | Origin and destination |
| CFS charge | Consolidation station | LCL cargo received, consolidated and de-consolidated | Origin and destination |
| Export declaration | Licensed broker | Every export shipment | Origin |
| Trucking and equipment handover | Haulier / depot | Pickup at the factory and gate-in at the terminal | Origin |
| Fuel and low-sulphur surcharges | Carrier | Movement of the vessel; recalculated with fuel prices | Origin charge, ocean leg |
| Peak season surcharge (PSS) | Carrier | Applied by the carrier in peak periods, announced in advance | Origin charge, ocean leg |
| Import clearance | Destination broker | Entry filing at destination | Destination |
| Delivery and de-hire | Destination haulier | Moving the container to consignee and returning it | Destination |
| Demurrage | Terminal / carrier | Container stays at the port beyond free time | Origin or destination |
| Detention | Carrier | Container stays outside the port beyond free time | Origin or destination |
Send the shipment and we will show the whole cost
Origin, destination, cargo and ready date are enough — the quotation lists each charge separately and names what is excluded.