General Rate Increase (GRI) – Mainly applied on South America and U.S. trade lanes. Charged by carriers to offset rising costs such as port and fuel expenses.
Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) – Similar to peak holiday pricing (like the “Spring Festival travel rush”), applied during busy shipping seasons (April–November).
Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) – A temporary surcharge (USD settlement) when oil prices rise sharply but carriers avoid adjusting the base freight rate. Under FOB terms, it is borne by the consignee.
Terminal Handling Charge (THC) – Includes Origin THC (OTHC) and Destination THC (DTHC), covering terminal operation costs.
Origin Receiving Charge (ORC) – Applied mainly at South China ports (e.g., Guangdong) for long-haul routes to North America and Europe. Mutually exclusive with THC (only one charged).
Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS) – Charged when port congestion causes delays and additional costs.
Container Imbalance Charge (CIC) – Applied when trade imbalance or seasonal demand increases repositioning costs of containers.
Destination Delivery Charge (DDC) – Charged at destination; borne by the seller only under DDU/DDP terms. Under CIF, paid by the buyer.
Heavy-Lift Additional (HLA) – Charged when a single cargo piece exceeds standard weight (usually 2–5 tons) and requires special handling. Collected per leg if transshipment is involved.
Currency Adjustment Factor (CAF) – Charged when the settlement currency depreciates significantly, compensating carriers for currency loss.
Long Length Additional (LLA) – Charged for over-length cargo (e.g., exceeding 9m, or over 6m inside a container) requiring special handling.
Emergency Cost Recovery Surcharge (ECRS) – Levied when severe weather or unexpected conditions raise operating costs.
Container Service Charge (CSC) – General fee for container-related services.
Fuel Adjustment Factor (FAF) – Specific to Japan routes; added when fuel prices rise.
Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) – Mandatory under EU regulations: all cargo imported into or transiting through the EU must be pre-declared (effective since 2011).
Suez Canal Surcharge (SCS) – Applied to cargo shipped via the Suez Canal; carriers transfer canal transit fees to shippers.
Panama Canal Transit Fee (PTF) – Applied on routes via the Panama Canal (e.g., Far East to U.S. East Coast).
Documentation Fee (DOC) – Charged by carriers (fixed in RMB) and by destination agents (in USD, variable).
Automated Manifest System Fee (AMS) – For U.S. and Canadian routes; cargo data must be filed 24 hours before loading under U.S. anti-terror regulations.
Temporary Additional Risks (TAR) – A surcharge for temporary war-related or security risks.
Advance Commercial Information Fee (ACI) – Similar to AMS, required by Canada; manifests must be filed 24 hours before loading.
Cleaning Charge (CC) – Typically applies to bulk or breakbulk cargo when ship cleaning is required.
Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) – Charged when bunker fuel prices rise sharply.
Transshipment Surcharge – Collected when cargo is shipped via a non-base port and requires transshipment (includes both transshipment fee and second-leg freight).
Direct Call Surcharge – Collected when a vessel makes a direct call at a non-base port if cargo volume meets the threshold.
Port Surcharge – Applied at ports with poor facilities or low efficiency, increasing carrier costs.
Optional Port Surcharge – Charged when shippers do not confirm the final discharge port and choose multiple options.
Deviation Surcharge – Applied when vessels must reroute due to obstructions in normal navigation channels.
Change of Destination Surcharge – Collected when the consignee requests and obtains approval to change the discharge port.
Menu
