How much does an import freight forwarder charge per ton? Does anyone know?
Solved#Freight forwarding#
I have a batch of goods to be imported from abroad to China recently and I want to find a freight forwarder to help. I'd like to ask everyone, how much does an import freight forwarder usually charge per ton? I have about 5 tons of goods, which are ordinary daily necessities. The transportation distance is roughly from Europe to Chinese coastal ports. I don't know if there are any standards for this charge. Is it calculated by weight or are there other calculation methods? I hope friends with experience can tell me about it. Thank you very much.
Professional consultant answers
Andrew HuangYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Supply chain optimization expertConsult
There is no fixed standard for the charge per ton by an import freight forwarder. It will be affected by many factors. First of all, it is the type of goods. Although your daily necessities are ordinary goods, there may still be price differences among different types. Secondly, the transportation distance. The distance from Europe to Chinese coastal ports is relatively long, so the cost is relatively high. In addition, the transportation modes such as sea transportation and air transportation have very different prices. Sea transportation is relatively cheap while air transportation is much more expensive.
Taking the sea transportation of ordinary daily necessities from Europe to Chinese coastal ports as an example, for an agency company like Zhongshitong, the charge per ton is about 1000 - 3000 yuan. This includes basic freight, port miscellaneous fees, customs clearance fees, etc. If the goods have special requirements, such as the need for cold chain transportation, the cost will increase. It is recommended that you contact the freight forwarder company to get an accurate quotation after providing detailed goods information.
William YangYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
International logistics consultantConsult
The charge of an import freight forwarder is also related to the volume of the goods. If the volume is large but the weight is light, it may be charged by volume. For example, for your 5 tons of daily necessities, if the volume is relatively large, the cost may change. You need to ask the freight forwarder specifically.
Sarah ZhangYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Document expertConsult
The price also fluctuates in different seasons. During the peak season, the transportation demand is large and the price may be higher. During the off-season, there may be discounts. For example, from Europe to Chinese coastal ports, the price per ton may be several hundred yuan higher during the peak season than during the off-season.
David LiYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior customs declaration consultantConsult
If the goods information is incomplete or encounters inspection during the customs clearance process, additional costs may be incurred, which will also affect the final charge per ton. So when looking for a freight forwarder, it is necessary to find one who is familiar with the customs clearance process.
Elizabeth LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Compliance and risk managerConsult
The insurance cost is also an aspect that affects the charge. If you want to buy insurance for the goods, the freight forwarder will generally help. The insurance premium is calculated according to the value of the goods, etc. This part of the cost will also be included in the overall cost per ton.
Robert ChenYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customer service consultantConsult
Some freight forwarder companies will offer certain discounts to long-term cooperation customers or customers with large quantities of goods. Your 5 tons of goods is not a small quantity. You can talk to the freight forwarder to see if you can get a discount.
Amanda YangYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cost control consultantConsult
The charges at the destination port also need to be considered. Different ports have different charging standards. Some ports have high miscellaneous fees, which will increase the freight forwarder cost per ton.
James LiuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign trade tax refund consultantConsult
If the goods need special packaging, such as reinforced packaging, the freight forwarder will charge packaging fees for providing such services, thus affecting the charge per ton.
Michelle ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business coordination consultantConsult
The requirement for transportation time also affects the price. If you require rapid transportation, the freight forwarder may arrange for fast ships or other means, and the cost will be high.
Jennifer WangYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Market development consultantConsult
Sometimes the fluctuation of the exchange rate will also affect the freight forwarder cost, especially when it involves foreign currency settlement. The change in the exchange rate may cause a small change in the charge per ton.