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Container Cost Calculator

Per-unit logistics cost of a container or sea shipment from freight, customs, insurance, inspection and destination fees.

Sourcing & landed cost
Shipment
$
Logistics
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
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Fill in the inputs and press Calculate. Results, a verdict and the formula trail appear here.

How the Container Cost Calculator works

Ocean freight is quoted per container, but you sell per unit. Add the origin charges, freight, customs, insurance, inspection and destination fees, then divide by the units inside and you get the logistics cost that every unit has to carry.

The number is very sensitive to how full the container is: the same fees over twice the units halves the per-unit cost.

Formula

  • Total logistics = Freight + Origin charges + Customs & duty + Insurance + Inspection + Destination fees + 3PL
  • Logistics per unit = Total logistics ÷ Units
  • Landed cost per unit = Unit cost + Logistics per unit

Example

$7,370 of logistics over 5,000 units is $1.47 per unit, taking a $3.10 product to $4.57 landed.

Units in the shipment: 5000Unit cost (optional, for % of goods): 3.1Ocean / air freight: 3800Origin charges (pickup, export docs, THC): 350Customs brokerage & duty: 1400Insurance: 120Inspection: 300Destination fees (port, drayage, delivery): 9003PL receiving / forwarding to Amazon: 500

Frequently asked questions

FCL or LCL?

Full container (FCL) is cheaper per unit once you fill roughly 15 cubic meters; below that, less-than-container (LCL) is usually cheaper in total but has higher per-unit charges.

Where do I get destination fees?

Your freight forwarder's quote should list port fees, drayage and delivery separately; if not, ask for an 'all-in door-to-door' quote.