A sea freight quote is rarely one number. Someone writes “all-in” and inside it is only ocean freight to the port. Someone else, under the same label, puts in the terminal, documents, clearance and delivery to the warehouse.
If you compare quotes without checking what is in the price, you are comparing apples to oranges. A low figure at the start often grows by terminal charges, storage or keeping the container too long.
Below: what a quote is made of, what to ask, and what to send so the numbers are comparable. For a general overview see sea container transport FCL and LCL.
Ocean freight is not the whole quote
Ocean freight is the charge for the sea move itself. In FCL usually per container, in LCL for the space you use — cubic metres, or weight if that comes out higher. It is the core of the offer, not the whole bill.
You cannot fairly compare two forwarders if one stops at the port and the other still has handling, documents and delivery.
All-in should mean: within the agreed scope you do not pay extra. The catch is that the scope varies. All-in port-to-port is not all-in door-to-door. A quote without customs is not a quote with customs. A quote with no free days to collect the container is not a quote with a clear free time.
Until you have a list of lines and exclusions, “all-in” is only a label.
On the first offer, ask:
- Incoterms — EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and the rest say who pays which leg.
- From where to where — port-to-port, consolidation warehouse, or door-to-door.
- What is in the price — documents, clearance, insurance, delivery.
- Currency and validity — freight rates often live only a short time.
- How many days to collect and return the container before storage charges (demurrage / detention).
What a quote is made of
The exact mix depends on Incoterms, FCL or LCL, the cargo, and whether you stop at the port or go to the door. The same shipment can therefore come back with very different totals.
Ocean freight
The charge for moving a container or groupage. In FCL usually for a 20′, 40′ or 40′ HC. In LCL by CBM or weight. Market extras (fuel, peak season) may sit inside all-in or sit apart. A cheap ocean rate with nothing else listed tells you little about the final cost.
Port charges and THC
THC (Terminal Handling Charge) is the fee for handling the container at the terminal. It often appears separately at origin and at destination. In the quote, split the terminal, the carrier’s document fees and local port charges — for import into Poland that is often Gdańsk or Gdynia.
Cheap offers like to show a neat ocean rate and stay quiet about THC at destination. The gap shows up on the invoice.
Documents
Usually a bill of lading (B/L) or telex / sea waybill, packing list, invoice and whatever customs needs. Check whether issuing and releasing the B/L is included, whether document amendments cost extra, and whether the LCL warehouse adds its own fees.
Customs clearance
It can be in the quote or on your side. Say whether it is import or export, and whether the goods need permits. Duty and VAT are a separate layer — do not mix them with freight. No “clearance” line usually means out of scope, not free.
Delivery to the warehouse
The road leg, the ramp, unloading and returning the empty container are separate costs. If the offer is door-to-door, it should say whether it covers delivery, waiting time and returning the empty to the depot. For the road leg see also road transport FTL/LTL.
Charges that are not in the base rate, but you should know
- Demurrage — the container stays at the terminal longer than your free days.
- Detention — the container is with you or in transit longer than free time allows.
- Storage — storing cargo or the box outside the free window.
- Rolling — the cargo missed the planned vessel; there may be a surcharge and a new rate.
You read FCL and LCL differently
A full container and groupage are two different bills. The wider comparison is in FCL vs LCL — when to choose a full container vs sea LCL. Here only what you see in the quote.
In FCL you usually see: rate per box, THC, documents, optionally clearance and delivery. All-in is easier to close, because you do not share space. Ask about the unit, weight, Incoterms, free time, delivery point and return of the empty.
In LCL you pay for metres or weight plus the consolidation warehouse at both ends. More steps mean more small fees, which add up. When you compare groupage, line up how CBM is measured, the minimum, the warehouse scope, and whether the price is port-to-port or door-to-door.
Do not put a per-container rate next to a per-metre rate without the same volume and scope. On imports from China — more on sea freight from China — sending the same file for FCL and LCL mainly makes sense when the lot is close to filling a box. Otherwise pick the model first, then compare quotes inside that model.
What a cheap offer hides
The lowest number in the email is rarely the lowest cost of the whole move.
If free days are short or not written down, demurrage and detention land on you when clearance slips, haulage is missing or the terminal is jammed. A decent quote states those days — it does not promise the charges will be zero.
On LCL, warehouse storage grows when documents or clearance are not ready. On FCL — when the container sits after arrival longer than the contract allows.
A cheap rate may only be valid on a tight booking window. If the cargo is rolled, you get a booking change and often a new ocean rate. Ask how long the offer lives and what happens if the ship changes.
The classic trap: offer A is ocean freight only, offer B has THC, documents and delivery. You pick A and pay the rest on later invoices.
Other quiet assumptions: understated dimensions on LCL, the wrong Incoterm and a “forgotten” origin leg, no word that the cargo is dangerous, no plan to return the empty.
An online calculator can give a rough idea, but it rarely builds a full all-in. A real quote starts from your data and from a list of what is not included.
To cut cost in a way that still compares, first line up the scope, then optimise: FCL or LCL, faster documents (less storage), a realistic collection plan (less detention), conscious Incoterms. Sometimes it is worth stacking sea against rail or air — on total cost and time, with no promise of an exact ETA.
How to compare two or three quotes
Line this up before you look at the total:
- the same Incoterm and the same origin / destination points;
- the same model: FCL or LCL, not both;
- the same container type or the same CBM method;
- port-to-port with port-to-port, door-to-door with door-to-door.
On the cost list, check:
- freight, and whether market extras sit inside all-in;
- THC at origin and destination;
- for LCL the consolidation warehouse;
- documents (B/L, release, amendments);
- clearance — in or out;
- delivery and return of the empty;
- cargo insurance.
Plus: how many free days, how long the offer is valid, what happens if the ship changes, and who runs the job. The quote should sit on your dimensions and weight, not a “sample container”, and say clearly what it does not include.
If you still cannot compare — ask for the same template instead of the cheapest number.
What to send for a quote
The fuller the data, the less guesswork.
- From and to — addresses or ports. Often China–Poland.
- Cargo — what it is, dimensions, weight, CBM, FCL or LCL, where you load.
- Incoterms — who pays which leg.
- Timing — when the goods are ready and roughly when they should arrive. No guaranteed transit time.
- Scope — freight only, documents, clearance, door-to-door.
Even better if you add the HS code, temperature or ADR/IMO, insurance, and whether the cargo moves regularly.
You can write it straight: all-in quote on [port/door]–[port/door], FCL or LCL, with THC and documents, with or without clearance, with or without delivery; plus free time and a list of what is out of scope. That forces a common baseline.
Common questions
What does an all-in freight quote mean?
That within the agreed scope there should be no extras. It is not the same as door-to-door with clearance. Different numbers on the same cargo usually come from a different scope.
What drives the cost of sea freight?
Freight and extras, THC, documents, the LCL warehouse, clearance, delivery, plus demurrage, detention, storage and rolling. Then Incoterms, volume and commodity. Ocean freight alone is rarely the whole cost.
How do I compare quotes without falling for a trap?
Line up Incoterms, FCL/LCL, the leg and the list of lines. Then compare the total and the free days — not ocean freight on its own.
What is the difference between demurrage and detention?
Demurrage: the box sits at the terminal after free days. Detention: it is off the terminal, for example at your site, after free days. When things slip, either line can dominate the bill.
Is THC always inside all-in?
No. It may be included, or separate at origin and destination. Different THC status means the quotes are not comparable until you ask.
What data do you need for a quote?
From / to, dimensions and weight or CBM, commodity, Incoterms, timing, and whether you want documents, clearance and delivery.
Can I get a door-to-door quote?
Yes. Do not assume the word all-in automatically means delivery to the warehouse. The scope is set in the quote.
Request a quote
Describe the cargo, Incoterms and scope. We will prepare a sea freight quote with the lines broken out and with what is not in the price. Go to the quote form or see sea FCL and LCL.
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