LCL, FCL, landed cost, freight allocation and international shipping economics.
Understand container tare weight, payload, maximum gross weight and verified gross mass (VGM), and why legal road limits can still be lower than container capacity.
Read guideLearn what drayage charges cover, why port-to-warehouse moves can become expensive, and how wait time, chassis, appointments and container free time affect cost.
Read guideUnderstand LCL weight/measure (W/M) pricing, revenue tons and why either CBM or shipment weight can become the billable quantity in ocean freight.
Read guideLearn how Freight All Kinds (FAK) agreements simplify LTL freight classes, where they help, and why density, commodity exclusions and reclassification still matter.
Read guideLearn how LTL CWT pricing and minimum charges interact, why small shipments can hit a pricing floor, and what to check when comparing freight quotes.
Read guideLearn how air freight chargeable weight compares actual and volumetric weight, why the higher figure is billed, and how packaging changes freight cost.
Read guideSeparate customs broker service fees from U.S. duties, Merchandise Processing Fee, Harbor Maintenance Fee, disbursement and other import charges when building landed cost.
Read guideLearn the basics of U.S. customs valuation, including transaction value, freight and insurance treatment, assists, royalties, packing and common commercial-invoice mistakes.
Read guideUnderstand the difference between HS, U.S. HTS and Schedule B codes, which one is used for imports or exports, and why the first six digits can match while later digits differ.
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