The most common container sizes are:

20' container

40' container

40' HC (High Cube) container

45' HC (High Cube) container

FCL shipments are charged at a flat rate per container.

CBM (cubic meter) is a measurement of volume one meter wide by one meter long by one meter high.

CBM is used to calculate chargeable weight.

Cargo insurance is coverage for your shipment from pickup to delivery, across multiple carriers and modes. It covers the purchase value (not retail value) of your goods, as well as freight and other costs associated with the cargo.

Brookstone highly recommends purchasing cargo insurance for your freight to protect yourself from unexpected high costs resulting from damage to or loss of your cargo.

A commercial invoice is a document used for customs declaration that identifies the value and quantity of the shipped products.

What must be included in a Commercial Invoice?

Country of origin / manufacture (where the products were made)

Full name and address of the *supplier / manufacturer *

Full name and address of the business or person buying the products

Full name and address of the *person or business to whom the goods are being shipped *

Quantity of units for each product

Unit value for each product (both in US dollars and the supplier's currency)

• Note: a declared value for every product imported is required, so a $0 value is not acceptable for Custom purposes. We suggest the fair market value of the product to be declared, even if you are receiving the goods free of charge.
• A complete description of the product that includes: what the product is, what the product is used for, and what the product is made of.

Demurrage is the fee assessed by the terminal if your cargo remains at port after the Last Free Day.

Demurrage is charged per container, per day, until the cargo is picked up. The specific charges will vary depending on the port and terminal, but they can be steep, especially when combined with per diem/detention fees - anywhere from $75 - $200 per container, per day, is typical. Some terminals will increase the daily fee amount after a certain number of days.

A duty is an indirect tax imposed by government on the value of an imported or exported product.

Duty assessed on an imported product's value is referred to as an import duty, while a duty assessed on an exported product is referred to as an export duty.

A duty is distinct from other forms of tax, such as sales tax, VAT, and excise tax. It is important to note that a duty is separate from fees that are assessed against cargo to pay for government services. This includes: entry processing fees, reimbursable government services or fines, penalties or liquidated damages for a documentary error, and any violations of customs regulations.