Freight market

Guides

Understand & decide

How much does a freight forwarder cost, and how to avoid hidden fees?

A freight forwarder's cost is not just the base freight: it also includes surcharges (BAF, GRI, peak season), terminal handling charges (THC) at origin and destination, documentation, customs clearance, and possible demurrage and detention. To avoid hidden fees, insist on a quote itemized line by line and have them spell out what can be added to it.

Surcharges and the freight invoice

BAF, GRI, demurrage: how to read the surcharges on your freight invoice

Surcharges dress up a freight invoice beyond the base freight: BAF covers fuel, CAF currency fluctuations, LSS compliance with low-sulphur fuel, GRI a general increase decided by the carriers, and the peak season surcharge strong seasonal demand. Demurrage and detention penalize a container immobilized for too long. A good freight forwarder itemizes each line and helps you anticipate them.

Importing from Asia

How to import from China to Europe, step by step

Importing from China follows a clear sequence: negotiate the right Incoterm with the supplier (often FOB), choose the mode (ocean FCL/LCL or air depending on volume and urgency), book the freight, organize factory pickup and Chinese export, track the transit (30 to 45 days by ocean to Europe), then clear customs on arrival (duties + VAT) before final delivery. A freight forwarder runs the whole process and secures the sensitive points: documents, transit times, customs.

Air vs ocean and choosing the mode

Air freight vs sea freight: how to choose the right mode of transport

Ocean is the default choice for large volumes and non-urgent goods: the cheapest, but 30 to 45 days transit from Asia. Air costs several times more but delivers in 5 to 8 days - relevant for the urgent, the perishable, the very small high-value volume, or to avoid a stockout. The rule: compare the total cost (transport + inventory tie-up + risk of stockout), not just the freight price. For small volumes, also compare LCL and air.

Project cargo and special cases

Project cargo and out-of-gauge goods: how to ship them?

Project cargo covers goods that do not fit in a standard container: machinery, heavy equipment, out-of-gauge pieces. It requires a case-by-case study - choosing the right equipment (flat rack, open top, conventional, breakbulk), lashing and stability calculations, transit permits, sometimes exceptional handling. Dangerous goods (hazmat/IMDG) add strict rules. It is a logistics engineering job: a specialized freight forwarder secures the route, the documents, and compliance end to end.

Market analysis

In The Merchant

n°200 · July 9, 2026

Blanking risks surge as carrier desperation grows

Carriers are set to respond to the latest fall in transpacific rates by adopting a more aggressive program of blank sailings. Average spot rates on the Shanghai to Los Angeles leg were down 8% week on week, according to Drewry. The Shanghai to New York leg saw a 5% drop.

n°178 · February 5, 2026

New geopolitical stormclouds gather for shippers

With US forces gathering in the Gulf, the Houthis have warned that they will resume attacks on global shipping in the case of any strike on Iran

n°176 · January 22, 2026

More uncertainty rocks Asia-US air freight market

One of the key pillars of the Trans-Pacific air freight market, semiconductors, is under threat from new White House tariffs. The Trump administration has gone ahead with its plan to place tariffs on select computing chips. The 25% levy on certain advanced chips is considerably lower than the 100%

n°175 · January 15, 2026

How Trans-Pacific spike might affect contract talks

The pre-Lunar New Year period has seen sharply rising Trans-Pacific eastbound spot rates but the bigger question many analysts and shippers are asking is what this is likely to mean for rates throughout 2026.

n°173 · December 18, 2025