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How much is the ocean freight import agency fee exactly? Come and find out!

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I have a batch of goods to be imported by sea recently. I haven't been involved in the ocean freight import agency business before. I'd like to ask how much the ocean freight import agency fee is usually? Is this fee fixed or will it be affected by many factors? If I ask an agency for help, what items will incur fees? I hope friends who know about this can tell me about it so that I can have a rough budget in mind. Thank you.

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Professional consultant answers

Elizabeth Li
Elizabeth LiYears of service:3Customer Rating:5.0

Compliance and risk managerConsult

The ocean freight import agency fee is not fixed and is affected by various factors. Firstly, it is the goods themselves. For example, the type, weight, and volume of the goods. Generally speaking, the fee for goods with larger weight and volume will be higher. Secondly, it is the transportation distance. The farther the distance, the higher the fee. There is also the transportation mode. The prices of full-container transportation and less-than-container-load transportation are different.

Common fee items include: ocean freight, which is the basic fee; customs declaration fee, the fee generated when the agency helps to declare to the customs; documentation fee, used for sorting out and transmitting relevant documents; terminal handling fee, the fee generated when the goods are loaded, unloaded, and stored at the terminal.

Taking ordinary goods as an example, if the goods are imported from the short-sea area and transported in full containers, the agency fee may be around 2000 - 5000 yuan; if the goods are imported from the ocean-going area and transported in less-than-container-load, the fee may be between 3000 - 8000 yuan. The specific fee needs to be determined according to the actual goods and transportation situation.

Joseph Zhou
Joseph ZhouYears of service:10Customer Rating:5.0

Senior foreign trade managerConsult

In addition to what has been mentioned above, there may also be inspection fees. If the customs inspect the goods, the agency will incur this fee when handling relevant matters.

James Liu
James LiuYears of service:10Customer Rating:5.0

Foreign trade tax refund consultantConsult

Don't forget the storage fee. If the goods cannot be picked up in time after arriving at the port for some reasons, a storage fee will be incurred for storing them in the terminal warehouse.

Michelle Chen
Michelle ChenYears of service:3Customer Rating:5.0

Business coordination consultantConsult

Some special goods may also have fumigation fees, quarantine fees, etc. For example, goods with wooden packaging may need fumigation treatment.

Robert Chen
Robert ChenYears of service:6Customer Rating:5.0

Customer service consultantConsult

If the agency is required to provide freight forwarding insurance services, an insurance fee will also be incurred, and the fee is calculated according to the value of the goods.

David Li
David LiYears of service:6Customer Rating:5.0

Senior customs declaration consultantConsult

Moreover, the sundry fees at the destination port cannot be ignored. For example, the THC (Terminal Handling Fee) has different standards in different ports.

Amanda Yang
Amanda YangYears of service:3Customer Rating:5.0

Cost control consultantConsult

The documentation fee is also common and is used for making and handling various transportation documents.

Emily Liu
Emily LiuYears of service:10Customer Rating:5.0

Settlement and payment expertConsult

If transshipment is involved, there may also be a transshipment surcharge.

William Yang
William YangYears of service:5Customer Rating:5.0

International logistics consultantConsult

If the goods require special packaging or reinforcement, additional fees will also be incurred in this regard.

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