What basic items are included in freight forwarding service fees?

In 2025, international freight forwarding basic charges show a standardization trend, mainly including the following core items:

• Basic freight
  • Maritime Transportation: Charged by FCL/LCL, the 2025 40HQ container benchmark price for Southeast Asia routes is $1800-$2500
  • Air Transportation: Based on the higher value between actual weight and volumetric weight, the 2025 China-US route price is $4.5-$6.5/kg
• Additional Charges
  • Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF): The Q2 2025 ocean freight BAF is $450/TEU
  • Peak Season Surcharge (PSS): Specific routes add 15%-25% from June to September
• Document Processing Fee: Including bill of lading fees and manifest entry fees, averaging $50-$120/shipment

How are customs declaration and inspection fees calculated?

In 2025, customs declaration fees show three major changes:

• Basic Customs Declaration Fee: $80-$150/shipment, fluctuating based on HS code complexity
• Inspection additional fees: Legal inspection goods add $200-$500
• New regulation fees: According to 2025 AEO certification requirements, advanced certification enterprises can reduce 30% of inspection fees

What are the hidden risks in destination port fees?

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

• Detention fee (DETENTION): The 2025 standard for major shipping companies is $120-$200/day
• Devanning fee (DEVANNING): Average LCL cargo fee is $80/CBM
• Special handling fee: Overweight containers add $350-$800 (standards vary by port)

How to avoid unreasonable charges?

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

• Confirm quotation details
  • Require ALL-IN price validity period to be specified
  • Clarify currency settlement methods (in 2025, cross-border RMB settlement accounted for 42%)
• Lock in liability clauses: Agree on fee change notification deadlines in service agreements
• Choose certified freight forwarders: Prioritize FIATA members or WCA-certified enterprises

What are the new charging items in 2025?

Industry monitoring shows the following new fee types require special attention:

• Carbon tariff pre - declaration fee: EU CBAM-covered goods add $150-$300
• Data security feeGDPR compliance processing fee approximately $80 per shipment
• Digital service feesElectronic Bill of Lading (EBL) system access fee starting from $50

How much do charges differ across transportation modes?

Example for 1-ton cargo Shanghai→Los Angeles (April 2025 quotation):

• LCL ocean shipping$420 + $120 surcharge = Total $540
• Direct air freight$5500 + $300 fuel surcharge = Total $5800
• China-Europe Railway Express$3800 + $150 customs clearance fee = Total $3950