An ocean freight quotation is a base rate plus a structured set of surcharges: BAF (the bunker fuel pass-through), THC (terminal handling at both ends), ISPS (port security under SOLAS chapter XI-2), documentation and bill-of-lading fees, CAF on non-USD trades, and the announced family (PSS peak-season surcharges, GRI base-rate increases, congestion and war-risk additions, and since 2024 the EU ETS emissions surcharge on European trades). On low-rate trades the surcharge share of the invoice regularly exceeds 40%.
The full article will cover each surcharge’s basis and revision mechanics, all-in versus base-plus-accessorials quotation styles, how Incoterms and liner terms allocate THC between buyer and seller, and the index-linked and fixed-rate contracting structures used between shippers and carriers.
Build the all-in figure from a quotation with the ocean freight cost calculator.