A must-read for freight forwarders! A comprehensive guide to common carrier surcharges—read it and avoid costly pitfalls.

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Time of issue：

2026-08-21 12:21

I. Basic Common Surcharges (Almost Every Shipment Has Them)

These fees are virtually unavoidable if you choose sea freight:

THC / Terminal Handling Charge —— Terminal Handling Charge
Charges for operations such as quay crane handling, storage, and cargo handling apply to both exports and imports. These fees are adjusted periodically by the shipping line, and the rates vary depending on the port and container type.

DOC / Document Fee —— Document Fee
The shipping company charges a fixed document-processing fee, which is levied on every shipment.

SEAL CHARGE —— Seal Charge
Some shipping lines include it in the freight, while others charge it separately—be sure to confirm this when booking space.

TELEX RELEASE / SURRENDER FEE —— Telex Release Fee
A fee is charged when a bill of lading requires an electronic release; if you opt for an electronic release, this charge will invariably apply.

II. Port and Route Surcharges

These costs fluctuate with market conditions and serve as a barometer of freight rate changes:

BAF / Bunker Adjustment Factor —— Fuel Surcharge
It is adjusted in line with international oil price fluctuations. Major shipping lines, including Maersk, revise their BAF rates quarterly based on fuel prices.

CAF / Currency Adjustment Factor —— Currency Devaluation Surcharge
This is commonly seen on Europe–Southeast Asia routes; when the settlement currency exchange rate fluctuates significantly, shipping lines will impose an additional surcharge.

EBS / Emergency Bunker Surcharge —— Emergency Fuel Surcharge
A temporary surcharge is imposed when oil prices rise sharply. For example, MSC raised its Emergency Fuel Surcharge (EFS) in June 2026.

PSS / Peak Season Surcharge —— Peak Season Surcharge
A surcharge is typically imposed during the peak season from June to October. In 2026, during the U.S. East Coast peak season, COSCO Shipping levied a PSS of USD 1,600 per 20-foot container and USD 2,000 per 40-foot container on Far East–U.S. and Canada services; Maersk applied a PSS of USD 1,000 per container on its Northern Europe–U.S. routes.

WRS / War Risk Surcharge —— War Risk Surcharge
An additional surcharge applies when traveling through sensitive air routes or conflict zones.

III. Container and Box-Type-Related Surcharges

CIC / Container Imbalance Charge —— Container Imbalance Surcharge
It occurs when there is a shortage of containers on a route or when container returns are uneven.

ERC / Empty Repositioning Charge —— Empty Container Repositioning Fee
Certain routes incur a separate charge for empty container repositioning costs.

DG FEE / Dangerous Goods Surcharge —— Dangerous Goods Surcharge
Additional charges for the carriage of dangerous goods.

OOG / Over Length/Over Height Surcharge —— Overdimension Surcharge
Additional charges apply for cargo that exceeds the standard length, height, or width limits.

IV. Special Surcharges for the Port of Destination/Port of Loading

ISPS / International Ship and Port Facility Security —— Port Security Fee
International ship and port facility security fee, typically USD 5–20 per container.

PCS / Port Congestion Surcharge —— Port Congestion Surcharge
Port congestion is a common occurrence at major ports. For example, CMA CGM once imposed a surcharge of USD 150 per container on outbound cargo due to congestion at the Port of Paranaguá in Brazil.

LSS / Low Sulfur Surcharge —— Low-Sulfur Fuel Surcharge
It is commonly charged following the implementation of the new environmental regulations (the sulfur cap).

ERS / Equipment Repositioning Surcharge —— Equipment Repositioning Surcharge
Cost transfer for shipping companies’ reallocation of container equipment.

V. Cross-Border, Canals, and Special Routes

SCS / Suez Canal Surcharge —— Suez Canal Surcharge
PTF / Panama Canal Surcharge —— Panama Canal Surcharge
TDS / Transshipment Surcharge —— Transshipment Fee

VI. Dedicated (High-Frequency) Route for the United States and Canada

For those of you operating on the U.S. East Coast route, please keep these points firmly in mind:

AMS / ACI Fee —— U.S./Canada Manifest Filing Fee
The pre‑manifest filing fees required by U.S. and Canadian customs are incurred when the shipping line or freight forwarder submits data to the customs system, typically ranging from $25 to $45 per shipment. These are mandatory charges that must be paid for all cargo destined for the United States or Canada.

MRN / ACE Fee —— U.S. Importer Declaration Fee

STF / Secured Transportation Fee —— U.S. Secure Transportation Fee

DDC / Destination Delivery Charge —— Destination Delivery Charge
A very common port-of-destination surcharge on U.S. routes.

VII. Other Common Miscellaneous Fees

HANDLING FEE —— Handling Fee
CFS CHARGE —— Container Freight Station Charge for Less-Than-Container-Load shipments
DEMURRAGE & DETENTION —— Demurrage charges, detention charges
Fees incurred for containers used beyond the free time or stored beyond the permitted period. Huijietong has compiled a comparative table of free‑time policies and demurrage charges for the seven major U.S.-bound carriers; the free‑time periods and demurrage rates vary significantly among these shipping lines.
REEFER FEE —— Reefer electricity charge, temperature control fee

Written at the end

The above is a summary of the most common surcharges imposed by shipping lines. In practice, several points warrant attention:

First, the surcharge is dynamic. BAF fluctuates with oil prices, PSS is adjusted during peak seasons, and shipping lines also make ad hoc adjustments to THC. Be sure to verify the latest rates when providing a quote.

Second, there are significant differences among various routes. U.S. routes incur carrier‑specific charges such as AMS/ACI and DDC; European routes may involve CAF; and canal‑transit routes are subject to SCS/PTF. Verify each route individually to prevent underreporting.

Third, stay informed about industry trends. In 2026, U.S.-bound freight rates once surged by more than 60% in a single month, driven by the combined impact of peak-season surcharges, fuel adjustments, and base rate hikes. Staying attuned to market dynamics is essential to build sufficient margin into your pricing.

As a professional logistics service provider with years of expertise in international freight forwarding, Huijietong maintains long-term, close partnerships with leading shipping lines such as WHL, OOCL, YML, MAERSK, and MSC. Our premium routes cover key markets including North America and Canada, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India/Pakistan, as well as Europe. Whatever your questions about surcharges may be, feel free to consult Huijietong’s dedicated logistics experts—we’ll help you calculate costs precisely and avoid unnecessary pitfalls.