Three parts of every rate
A container's journey from China to Ukraine splits into three stretches, each with its own costs:
- Port of loading. Terminal handling, export clearance, moving the empty container to the factory and back.
- Sea. Base ocean freight and the shipping line's surcharges.
- Port of discharge and delivery to Ukraine. Port handling, release documents, transit, truck or rail to the border and on to the warehouse.
Under FOB the supplier pays for the first stretch. Under CFR or CIF the supplier also pays for the sea, and you are left with the destination port charges. Find out what they are before you sign the contract.
The sea leg: freight and surcharges
| Item | What it is | How often it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Base ocean freight (O/F) | The price of moving the container port to port | Weekly, with the market |
| BAF, bunker surcharge | Covers the line's fuel cost | Monthly or quarterly |
| Emissions surcharge (ETS, FuelEU) | The line's cost of EU emission allowances and fuel rules | Quarterly |
| PSS, peak season surcharge | Applies in peak months, for example before Chinese New Year | Introduced for a few weeks |
| GRI | A general rate increase announced in advance | Usually from the 1st or 15th of the month |
| War risk | A surcharge for calls in high-risk areas, including Black Sea ports | Depends on the situation in the region |
The emissions surcharge appeared in 2024, when the EU began phasing shipping into its emissions trading system. In 2024 lines bought allowances for 40% of emissions, in 2025 for 70%, and from 2026 for all of them. The surcharge has risen accordingly, and if the container moves through a European port, you will see this line in every quote.
The destination port: THC and other charges
At the port of discharge there are charges that do not depend on the freight rate:
- THC (terminal handling charge): discharging the container and handling it at the terminal;
- D/O (delivery order): the line's permission to collect the container;
- documentation fees: for the bill of lading, telex release, amendments;
- ISPS: the port security charge;
- storage, demurrage and detention: if the container stays beyond its free days.
These are set by the line and the terminal, and there is no negotiating them. But you need to know them before signing, especially under CIF, where the supplier has already paid the freight.
From the port to your warehouse
A container arriving at a European port travels on to Ukraine by truck or rail under a T1 transit declaration. This stretch adds:
- the transit declaration and financial guarantee;
- transport to and across the border;
- waiting time at the border, if the queue is longer than the carrier's rate allows for;
- customs brokerage. Customs payments themselves are not included; how they are calculated is covered in a separate article;
- delivery to the warehouse and return of the empty container. If the line lets you return it in Ukraine rather than at the port, there is a separate drop-off fee.
This part is the most common surprise, because a shipping line's quote simply does not include it. A rate to Gdańsk and a rate to a warehouse in Kyiv are very different numbers.
Why rates change
Ocean rates are set by the market. The main drivers are:
- the balance of ships and cargo: when lines cancel sailings (blank sailings), space shrinks and rates rise;
- routing: when vessels go around Africa instead of through the Red Sea, the voyage takes one to two weeks longer, and lines price that in;
- bunker fuel prices;
- the season: space is tight before Chinese New Year and in autumn, ahead of Christmas sales in Europe;
- regulatory costs such as EU emission allowances.
That is why a forwarder's quote always has a validity period, usually one to two weeks, sometimes to the end of the month. It is mostly tied to the sailing date, not the date you asked. If the supplier is three weeks late, the rate may be recalculated.
How to compare quotes
- Compare prices to the same point. Not to the port in one quote and to the border in another, but to the warehouse in both.
- Ask what "all in" means. Sometimes it covers only the sea leg with surcharges, without destination port charges.
- Look for "subject to" or "+ local charges". Everything after those words is paid separately.
- Check the free days. Cheap freight with three free days at the port can end up costing more than a dearer rate with fourteen.
- Confirm how long the rate is valid and whether war risk and cargo insurance are included.
If you are still choosing between sea and rail, start with "Sea or Rail from China". Small shipments are priced differently, per cubic metre; see FCL or LCL. More on the service on our sea freight page.