Rex's Freight Notes
DG Quotes: Look Beyond the Ocean Freight
The lowest ocean freight is not necessarily the lowest cost of moving the shipment. Start by making sure the quotes cover the same job.
Written by Rex Xu·Shanghai, China
Shanghai Dangerous Goods & International Freight Forwarding Expert
Published
2 min read
Short Answer
Compare the shipment scope, included charges, charging units, exclusions and change conditions—not just the ocean-freight line. A useful comparison holds the cargo, route and service assumptions constant.
Classification, packing and acceptance remain subject to the current edition of applicable regulations, carrier review and port requirements. Confirm before shipment.
Put the service boundary above the price
Does the quote end at the destination port, or include clearance and inland delivery? Does it cover collection, warehouse handling and container loading at origin?
Two totals with different boundaries are not alternatives for the same service. Ask each provider to state where responsibility starts and ends.
Match the charging basis
Request the applicable freight, surcharges, documentation and origin handling items. Note whether each is charged per shipment, container, package, weight or volume, and which currency applies.
For LCL, check the stated calculation basis and minimum charges. Do not assume that identical quantities produce identical billable amounts under different terms.
How do stuffing and shipside transfer charges differ?
In our quotations, the warehouse stuffing package includes empty-container pickup, stuffing and delivery to the agreed terminal or DG warehouse. A Waigaoqiao direct-loading arrangement can also involve the subsequent movement of the packed container to shipside for vessel loading. That is a separate handover stage, not a second charge for stuffing.
Direct-to-vessel and truck-to-vessel transfer describe the same later service in this context; different names do not justify counting it twice. Waigaoqiao and Yangshan vehicle arrangements differ. Compare the actual handover points, inclusions and pass-through items rather than applying a historical tariff to every shipment.
Compare the plan as well as the total
Check quote validity, routing, estimated departure and arrival, and the conditions for changing or cancelling the booking. Identify charges that remain provisional.
For deadline-sensitive cargo, a cheaper option with an unsuitable schedule may not meet the assignment. The right question is what the quoted service can actually deliver within its confirmed scope.
Questions I get asked about this
- Does stuffing include every direct-loading charge?
- Not automatically. The warehouse package covers the agreed stuffing and delivery stage; later shipside transfer may be separate. Check the actual handover and inclusions, without duplicating one service under two names.
- Is a higher quote more reliable?
- Price alone does not establish reliability. Review scope, assumptions and the proposed handling plan.
- Should I ask for every supplier cost?
- Ask for a clear customer-facing price and exclusions. This does not require disclosure of a forwarder’s private purchasing terms.
- What about destination charges?
- Confirm whether they are included, estimated or payable separately, and by whom.
- Can a quote change?
- It may, depending on validity, cargo changes and stated conditions. Establish those conditions before booking.
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Send me the shipment details
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