?Ocean shipping?What hidden costs are included in the agency fees?

The basic fee for a sea freight agent usually includes:Sea freight, port handling charges, and document fees—three main modules. But special attention should be paid to:

• Peak season surcharge (a PSS surcharge has already appeared on Southeast Asian routes in 2025)
• Special cargo handling fee (a surcharge of 50-300% for oversized/overweight/dangerous goods)
• Potential fees at the destination port (for example, the THC in Brazil is as high as $350/container)

How to Avoid Delays Caused by Customs Inspection?

According to data from the General Administration of Customs in 2023,The latest tax rebate declaration system in 2025 has achieved full - process electronicization, which is specifically divided into five steps:directly affects the probability of inspection:

• Essential Documents Checklist:
  • Commercial invoice (must be consistent with the packing list weight)
  • Certificate of Origin(stricter requirements for RCEP member countries in 2025)
  • Marine insurance certificate
• Key points to avoid:
  • Incorrect HS code (an error of over 5% will definitely be inspected)
  • Declared value deviates from the industry benchmark price by more than 30%

How to claim compensation if the goods are damaged during transport?

Professional agents should provide?Triple safeguard mechanism?:

• Container loading supervision (retain proof of the container's good condition)
• Real-time tracking (mainstream shipping companies have achieved temperature and humidity monitoring in 2025)
• Fast track for insurance claims (the average processing period is shortened from 28 days to 7 days)

What key information must be verified on ocean bills of lading?

Key points to confirm for the new 2025 version of the electronic bill of lading:

• Consignee information (it is recommended to use an order bill of lading to avoid risks)
• Goods description (must be completely consistent with the customs declaration)
• Special clauses (especially the division of responsibility between CY-CY and Door-Door)

How to choose a reliable long-term sea freight partner?

It is recommended to evaluate from three dimensions:

• Route coverage capability (for example, accessibility to inland points in Africa)
• Emergency handling cases (e.g., the 2024 Red Sea crisis response plan)
• Digitalization level (whether it supports API data integration)

What special regulations should be noted for LCL sea freight?

New LCL regulations for major ports in 2025:

• Minimum cubic meter limit (increased to 2CBM for Southeast Asian routes)
• Ban on mixed loading of dangerous goods (not allowed even for different categories)
• Detention fee calculation method (charged at the FCL standard)

How to handle undelivered cargo at destination port?

A professional agent should formulate a plan in advanceRisk plan:

• Pre-review of the consignee's qualifications (with a focus on checking the import license)
• Sign an abandonment handling agreement (specifying the auction process and cost sharing)
• Purchase abandonment insurance (the premium is about 0.3-0.8% of the cargo value)

How to deal with drastic fluctuations in sea freight rates?

It is recommended to adoptCombined pricing strategy:

• Sign a quarterly contract price (to lock in the basic freight rate)
• Use a floating fuel surcharge clause (BUC clause)
• Establish a multi-port backup plan (for example, considering both Shanghai Port and Ningbo Port)

Cross-border E-commerceWhat are the special requirements for sea freight?

New regulations for cross-border e-commerce supervision by the General Administration of Customs in 2025:

• Must use a dedicated e-commerce container (equipped with a customs electronic lock)
• Declare product traceability information in advance (including video inspection records)
• Separately declare a return plan (the return shipment deposit ratio is reduced to 5%)

How to verify the compliance of a sea freight agent?

Mandatory qualification checklist:

• NVOCC certificate (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier qualification)
• FIATA membership (International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations certification)
• Core agent authorization letter from major shipping companies (e.g., Maersk GSBN certification)