Freightos Premium is a free, exclusive tier that provides white-glove support and additional services to some Freightos users.
The plan is currently limited to US, Canada, and UK-based users who ship at least 50 containers annually on active Freightos trade lanes and who are not logistics companies.
Premium access includes:
Exclusive Pricing and Services
Access below-market pricing from top-tier logistics providers and carriers, negotiated for you by Freightos and generally reserved for enterprise-level businesses.
Dedicated Account Management
Create a frictionless supply chain with an account manager who oversees every step of your shipments and is available around the clock.
Freightos Baltic Index (FBX) Market Insights
Ship smarter with a free subscription to daily market insights from the FBX (a $299/month value)
You can apply to join Freightos Premium by clicking the Unlock Freightos Premium button on Freightos.
Freightos Premium is currently limited to US, Canada, and UK-based users who ship at least 50 containers annually on active Freightos trade lanes and who are not logistics companies.
After booking, the Freight Team will ensure that all of the required information and documents have been provided.
Once confirmed, they will send the information to your logistics provider, who will reach out to the origin contact to coordinate the details and arrange pickup.
They will provide you with shipment updates through Freightos, which will automatically be delivered to your email address and updated on your shipment page.
In addition to regular email updates, your account manager will perform proactive shipment health checks, manage any exceptions, and maintain communication when necessary.
Smoother shipping is just a click away with Freightos.
Begin by entering your shipping information in three simple steps:
Choose your cargo type.
Set your pickup and delivery destinations.
Denote any customs requirements and additional detail
When all of your information is entered, click Search & Book. If anything is missing, the system will notify you before you are directed to your search results.
The search results page allows you to select from one of the dozens of freight forwarders on our platform. You can sort your search based on best value, cheapest, quickest, and greenest.
You can further refine your search based on a variety of filters, including user rating.
When you find an option that suits your needs, you can book or save it.
Freightos accepts payments through credit card and wire transfers. You can even apply for credit. Learn more about pricing and payment here.
Once payment is received, you can upload all required shipping documents.
The forwarder you select will then coordinate pickup with your supplier. You can stay updated with tracking information along the way so you know exactly where your shipment is at all times.
When your delivery is completed you can rate your freight forwarder to help other users.
Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us at any time!
Welcome to smoother shipping!
Shipment Management
Almost half of all importers use spreadsheets for shipment management; we think there’s a better way. Once your shipments are underway, the new Freightos shipment page provides a one-stop view across all shipments, including actions required, tracking, status, messages, and more. Here’s how it works.
The map at the top will show all shipments in process, including airport arrival and departures for air shipments, as well as live tracking of ship locations for your ocean shipments. Click on an individual shipment to dive into more details or, if you’re not the map-type, just hide it completely.
Make this page your own by choosing the right layout at the top. If you like this view, remember that all columns can be reorganized, sorted, or filtered to showcase the information you actually want to see. You can also use the search at the top to quickly find any specific shipment. If there’s an action required to get your shipment underway, you’ll be notified about it in the status section.
If your shipment is already underway and you have a message waiting from the provider, you’ll also see it right here. At any point, you can click on an individual shipment for more information. And since some companies really like their Excel, we’ve also made all information exportable into a CSV file - just click right here to download the file.
Messenger
Communicating with your logistics providers is also much easier through Freightos. Once your shipment is confirmed and the commercial invoice is submitted, you and your logistics provider can communicate directly through the messenger regarding each individual shipment, whether it’s about shipment updates, changed shipping dates, or updated charges Messages can be read and sent through the Freightos platform directly from the messenger page.
When you have a message, you’ll be notified in platform, on both the high-level shipment management page, as well as the individual shipment page, as well as through an email update. To reply, either respond to the email or log in to the platform.
One quick note about the messenger; with dozens of providers worldwide spanning timezones, you shouldn’t always expect an instant response. We closely monitor provider response time to encourage speedy response but think of this as more of a unified conversation platform than a live chat.
And of course, if you ever need support from Freightos, we’re available by either chat or phone.
Billing Management
Part of making international freight transparent is making pricing more transparent as well. We’re bringing that to your payments as well, concentrating financial details regarding each individual shipment on one page. When you’re in an individual shipment, clicking on the billing page tab will show you the full breakdown of your shipment’s cost, including the initial quote, as well as any shipment cost adjustments that may have happened along the way.
You can pay for these charges directly from this page, or just enable auto-pay to automatically pay them. If there’s a cost you disagree with, you can also dispute it from this page by clicking on this button.
You can also find your invoices here, whether it’s the pro forma invoice prior to payment or the actual invoice once the shipment is delivered and finalized for.
Vendor Profiles
We want to make it as simple as possible to choose the perfect logistics provider for every one of your shipments, so we’re bringing even more information about each provider to your fingertips.
After you search for a quote, you’ll notice that we’ve started to include the number of shipments each provider has shipped for Freightos users. Clicking on the provider’s icon or review link in any result tile will slide in more information about them from the right.
Here you can see a short description of the provider, service specialties, and the provider’s website. You’ll also see reviews written by verified users that shipped with this specific company, helping you see exactly where they excel. We work hard to help our providers constantly improve, with ongoing feedback about their pricing, transit times, communication with customers, and user satisfaction.
One quick note - we include the provider’s website because we want to empower you with as much information as possible; we’re confident that the ideal shipping experience comes when you book through Freightos, with exclusive pricing, secure payment and escrow, inline communication, shipment tracking, and more.
Credit
Part of easier freight are credit terms that work for you. You may be eligible if you’re either a multinational company or if you shipped twice with Freightos at a total cost of over $2,000. To apply for credit, click the Apply for credit button on the top of the page. That will enable you to request an application form by email. Click on the button in the email for the credit application form.
After a quick legal agreement, you’ll be asked to fill out some brief information about your business, the requested credit terms, and information about your bank or guarantor. You’ll be notified if your credit terms have been approved by email, after about five to ten days.
Once your credit terms are approved, you can complete your checkout on Freightos by credit card, wire, or with your line of credit.
FCL Support for FBA
At the request of larger Amazon FBA sellers, we’ve expanded instant quoting to Amazon FBA warehouses to support full container loads. You’ll now see a container load type option on the Ship to Amazon FBA page, where you can select quantities and container sizes.
You’ll also be asked on how you’ll fill the container, with three options:
You can have the supplier load the container with boxes at the factory. Your Freightos provider will then transfer the boxes to Amazon-accepted pallets for delivery, which will include a small palletization fee.
Your supplier can also load the container with pallets themselves for direct delivery to Amazon
Finally, your supplier can floor-load the container with boxes and send it straight to Amazon. Note this may extend delivery time, as Amazon prefers palletized deliveries.
For all three options, ensure your boxes are correctly labeled - you can see more about Amazon specifications for packaging and labeling on the Help Center.
Continue with the booking as you would with a typical shipment.
Freightos is an online international freight marketplace, designed to be as easy to use as sites like Priceline or Expedia.
Freightos is not a forwarder, but rather a marketplace providing rates from top forwarders, enabling you to search for freight quotes and compare the best rates.
You can immediately book your shipment, upload all your relevant paperwork, and manage your shipment on the site.
Learn more about how it works in this video or with a more detailed walkthrough.
Freightos is changing the way you ship goods.
Historically, freight has been pretty complicated and opaque.
This has allowed forwarders and suppliers to take advantage of the fact that shippers don't know all the questions to ask or the costs they have to pay.
They hide charges in big numbers and promises that they're covering all of the fees for you, adding extra percentages where there don't have to be any and often forgetting to tell you important details about paperwork and customs.
They also swear up and down that they're giving you the best possible price and since it takes days to get a quote from traditional forwarders, it's often worth taking them at their word instead of waiting to hear back from someone else.
Freightos wants to change all of that by making shipping smoother.
We believe in transparency and reliability.
We believe you should know every cost included in your quotes and understand the full breakdown of your shipment cost. And the cost you're given should be honored, no matter what.
We believe there should be open communication all the way through, in case you have any questions about the status of your goods and shipment at any point.
We believe that you should be able to view different rates - instantly and simultaneously - and then choose the one that works best for you.
We believe that freight shouldn't be the most time-consuming part of your day. It should be quick and easy to find a quote, book your shipment, manage transit details, and get the answers you need.
We believe in smoother shipping.
Freightos is not a freight forwarder, rather we work with top forwarders and carry their rates on our platform.
This allows shippers to search for quotes, compare the best rates, and choose a forwarder that checks the boxes they need - mode, price, transit time, reviews, etc.
We have a dedicated Freight Team that serves as a liaison between you and the forwarders to make sure that all your shipment needs are being addressed.
Flexport is a freight forwarding and customs brokerage.
Freightos is not a freight forwarder but rather a marketplace that carries rates from top forwarders.
This enables you to search for quotes, compare the best rates, and choose the right forwarder for your needs.
Our dedicated Freight Team serves as a liaison between you and your forwarder to ensure smooth shipping.
There are three ways you can get in touch with us:
Through our online contact form
By phone at:
US +1 877 222 8727
UK +44 20 3872 2358
Or via live chat on ship.freightos.com:
We are always looking to broaden our marketplace offerings.
In order to maintain the quality of our services, however, we do not automatically accept all Sellers and we qualify applications based on different characteristics that will make the Seller successful for the specific trade lanes and products that we cover.
If you wish to sell freight services on Freightos, you and your subcontractors must have all necessary licenses in all applicable jurisdictions, abide by all laws, and be in good financial standing.
You can apply to sell on Freightos at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdof84g8TqhWJinSbjnKnA0RFe2UsRSdK8x4O35yAN44En4Sw/viewform
Note: Due to a high volume of applications, we will only contact relevant Sellers.
Head over to Freightos and click "Sign Up" in the corner to fill out some basic details needed to register.
Once you agree to the Freightos MSA and Terms and Conditions and click Sign Up, you'll receive an email asking to verify your email address.
Once you click through, you'll have access to Freightos!
If you run into any trouble, you can chat with us live online. Just hit the chat bubble in the bottom right corner.
It is completely free to sign up and search on Freightos.
You'll only be asked for payment once you choose a quote and book a shipment.
You can learn more about paying for shipments through Freightos here.
Anyone can sign up to ship through Freightos, however, be aware that there are limitations on what can be shipped through our platforms. For example, our forwarders only work for shipments made for commercial purposes and cannot accommodate individual/personal shipment requests. You can see the whole list of restrictions here.
Freightos complies with all applicable laws pertaining to international freight and shipping, so any shipment that is deemed unlawful for any reason will be cancelled and Freightos will have no liability in their respect.
At Freightos, we know how important word of mouth can be. That’s why we are happy to reward any referrals you send our way with account credit.
When your referral signs up and books a shipment, your Freightos account will be credited with 10% of that shipment’s value, up to $100.
For the full terms of the referral program and to get your unique referral link, click here.
You can delete your Freightos account by sending a request through our contact form.
If you simply wish to unsubscribe from our mailing list, you can opt out via the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email.
You can edit your company profile and other account information on the Company Settings page.
Click edit to change your Company Name, Size, Address, and Country.
You can find your load dimensions on the packing list provided by your supplier.
When searching for a quote, we recommend that you calculate by boxes/pallets for the most accurate quotes. Just enter the weight and dimensions of each box, crate, or pallet in your shipment and they will automatically be summed up for you.
If you opt to calculate by total shipment, your quote may not be as accurate, resulting in shipping cost adjustments later on.
Note: Pay close attention to your units of measurement (eg, cm vs. in, kg vs. lb) when entering your dimensions.
Without exact dimensions, we cannot provide an accurate quote for your shipment, but you can still get an estimate.
If you use estimated load dimensions, it’s important to note that the search results provided will likely not reflect the final cost of your shipment.
Note: The final dimensions of your shipment are provided on your Bill of Lading.
Freightos ONLY offers customers offline quotes for hazardous materials (HAZMAT) shipments with items containing lithium ion batteries. We do not offer quotes for standalone batteries.
These shipments require a Material Safety Data Sheet and may incur additional handling fees or different routing altogether (as not all ports service restricted commodities). Battery inspection charges may also apply.
Accepted PI 969 or PI 970 li-ion batteries must have one of these UN codes:
Li-Ion Batteries - UN 3480
Li-Ion Batteries (contained in equipment) - UN 3481
Li-Metal Batteries - UN 3090
Li-Metal Batteries (contained in equipment) - UN 3091
Note: Our forwarders CANNOT handle any other HAZMAT shipments.
You can ship almost anything on Freightos, however, there are some shipments that our forwarders do not currently support (and which cannot be insured):
Personal effects
Hazardous materials HAZMAT (with some exceptions)
Refrigerated/chilled/frozen/dry ice goods
Leather, hides (exc. processed leather)
Scraps (metal, plastic, etc.)
Films and optical material
Documents, stamps, money, banknotes, bonds, securities, and checks
Accounts
Bills
Evidence of debt
Money orders
COD payments
Tickets, deeds, treasury notes, or any cash equivalents
Gift cards
Manuscripts
Original/fine art valued over $20,000 USD per piece
Military equipment or weapons of any kind
Goods in bulk vessels
Cement
Marble plates/slabs
Bamboo
Charcoal
Crude oil
Fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, etc.), seeds, plants, flowers, livestock, chicks, and perishable goods
Livestock
Jewelry, precious stones, valuable metals, gold, silver, diamonds
Consumer electronics (cellphones, tablets, etc.)
FDA-regulated items lacking FDA approval
Boats/yachts/tankers
Cars/motorcycles
Neon items
Cigarettes and tobacco
Medicine
Alcohol/wine/beer/similar spirits
Grandfather/grandmother clocks
Models (including but not limited to: ships, cars, airplanes, and architectural)
Mobile phones
Windows
Plate/flat glass
Antiques, used furniture, used clothing
If you are shipping 'from port' or 'to port' rather than 'door-to-door', you will need to determine whether you are paying the fees that apply to port handling.
The origin and destination charges you are required to pay will depend on the point of ownership of the goods transferred from the seller to the buyer (see: Incoterms).
It is critical to be aware of what your supplier is covering. If they overlook any key charges, you will be responsible for paying them. Freight forwarders are allowed to hold shipments before delivery - at your expense - until all payments have been received.
The following is a more in-depth breakdown of when and how you’d be required to add port charges to your quote:
Suppliers often suggest shipping your goods Free on Board (FOB). That means that the supplier (ie, the factory) is responsible for your goods until they are loaded onto the vessel at the port of origin and will handle all related charges until that point.
When you are shipping loose cargo (ie, not a full container), your goods must go through a Container Freight Station (CFS) to be consolidated into a container.
You must communicate with your supplier to see whether they are covering those charges since they are not always included in an FOB agreement.
If not, you should keep the option of including port charges checked yes, so that there is no delay later on.
After that, your responsibility for FOB will initiate with the overseas transportation. Your quote will include that freight cost, the bill of lading fees, unloading the cargo at the arrival port, and transporting the cargo to its final destination.
Two other common shipping options/Incoterms are Cost and Freight (CFR) and Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF), which means that the seller covers all of the costs at the origin plus the international freight charge. The responsibility for the goods only shifts to the buyer once the goods arrive at the destination port.
At the destination port, your LCL shipment must once again pass through a CFS, but this time to be deconsolidated from the container.
If you are the supplier (factory/exporter), be sure you have clearly communicated with the buyer of goods (importer) as to who is covering these charges.
We recommend keeping the box to include these charges clicked yes to avoid delays, misunderstandings, or fines later on.
When goods are imported internationally, government agencies may impose Customs Duties (also called Customs Taxes).
There are three costs that must be paid to release of any import shipment from US customs:
Import taxes
A customs brokerage
Customs Brokers are licensed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct customs clearance on behalf of importers, such as filling out paperwork and obtaining a CBP bond.
The importer is always ultimately responsible for knowing CBP requirements and for ensuring their import complies with all federal rules and regulations, but using a Customs Broker can save you from making costly mistakes
.Freightos can include the cost of customs brokerage into your quote, which pays for a licensed customs agent to handle and submit your documentation. That usually costs somewhere between $90-$130 (USD), depending on how many commodities you're shipping, and can be included by checking the box for customs brokerage on the search page. The number of commodities is the number of different goods in your shipment
.If you purchased customs brokerage for an import shipment in the USA or Canada, you are required to complete a Power of Attorney (POA). This document enables the Customs Broker to present your shipment to the Customs Authorities on your behalf.
The POA requires a "Doing Business As" (DBA), which allows your company to legally operate under a trade name (AKA a fictitious name). A DBA makes it possible for sole proprietors and general partners to do business using a name other than the owner's personal name.
NOTE: For Express shipments, customs is handled directly by the carrier (ex. DHL, UPS, etc.)
Known Shippers are shippers who have been properly vetted through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) by an air carrier or freight forwarder.
Once these shippers comply with security requirements and receive proper approval, they are able to book air rates for US exports on passenger planes (as opposed to cargo planes) for more competitive pricing.
The Known Shipper Program is heavily regulated by the TSA through an automated process called the Known Shipper Management System.
To inquire about becoming a known shipper, email the TSA at KSMSSUPPORT@tsa.dhs.gov with subject: "Known Shipper Management".
To search for freight quotes, simply enter your shipment size and route. Your quote will be based on the information you provide at the time of search.Here's how to search for quotes in five easy steps:(By the way, if you're shipping to an Amazon FBA warehouse, click the icon in the corner to be taken to a dedicated search with Amazon specifications like labeling, palletization, and FBA warehouses.)
1. Load
Start by choosing whether you’re shipping boxes/pallets (LCL) or a full container (FCL).
If you're shipping a container, choose from the list of sizes (20 ft, 40 ft, overweight, etc.). If you're shipping boxes or pallets, then your load will be the volume, weight, and the number of boxes/pallets. Learn more.
You can search in inches or centimeters for volume, and pounds or kilograms for weight. You can also search according to the individual shipment units (ie, five boxes, each sized 50cm x 50cm x 50cm and weighing 100 kg) or according to the total shipment (ie, five boxes totaling 0.63 cbm and 500 kg). If your shipment is made up of different sized boxes, you can add another load.
If you don’t know your load details your supplier can provide you with this information or you can find it on your packing list.
2. Origin
Next, choose the origin address where your goods are coming from. This will usually be the factory overseas, but can also be an air or seaport or a business address.
Use the search bar to find the port name, city, or zip code. (Don’t worry if that seems kind of broad - only the city is needed to provide quotes. The specific address will go in later on.)
3. Goods Ready Date
You’ll also be asked when your goods will be ready for pick up (it’s okay if this is just an estimation - the exact date will be determined between your forwarder and factory after you book)
.
4. Destination
Enter the destination address where your goods will ultimately be delivered. Similar to the origin address, this will likely be a warehouse or business designed for cargo deliveries, but may be a port. Use the search bar to find the port name, city, or zip code.
5. Optional services
Finally, add any additional services you want. You can choose from:
Customs brokerage - Freightos can include the cost of customs brokerage, which will pay for a licensed customs agent to handle and submit your customs documentation. This usually costs somewhere between $90-$130 (USD) depending on how many commodities you're shipping.
Commodities refers to the types of goods or products being shipped, as opposed to the number of physical units in the shipment (ie, 500 units of pillows is one commodity; 500 pillows and 500 cellphones is two commodities. Learn more.
Customs bond - A customs bond is required for all US imports. If you don't already have a customs bond, you can choose to purchase either a single-entry bond or a continuous bond. Learn more.
Insurance - You can include cargo insurance in your quote by ticking the insurance box on the search page. Enter the value of your goods to determine the cost of insurance, which will then be added to your quote and provided by your chosen service provider. Learn more.
When you’re ready, click Search to get hundreds of competitive freight quotes from dozens of freight providers!
The US government regulates a wide variety of products.
Goods subject to FDA approval, for example, will incur an FDA filing fee of $25-$50. The cost for a single entry bond will later be adjusted based on 3x the goods value and will be charged separately along with the FDA filing fee.
You can denote your FDA-regulated goods in step three (Customs & additional services) of the search process by selecting the Yes radio button:
Next, indicate a shipment value of three times the actual value in the space provided:
If your shipment falls under the FDA’s purview, we recommend contacting a legal consultant, as Freightos does not provide legal advice on these matters. Some of our customers have been happy with this company.
The number of commodities refers to the number of different types of goods you are shipping.
If you have 500 units in your shipment but all of them are teddy bears, then you are only shipping one (1) commodity. The teddy bears may be of different sizes or colors but would still share a single HS code and count as one commodity.
However, if those 500 units are a combination of teddy bears, trousers, mobile phones, and shoes, then that counts as four (4) commodities.
There are two types of customs bonds:
Single-Entry Bond (SEB) - A one-time use bond that typically costs 0.5% of the total value of your goods, with a $50 minimum. Ocean shipments also require the purchase of an Import Security Filing (ISF) bond separately for a flat fee of $75.Continuous/Annual Bond - A multi-use bond that typically costs $500 and is registered to a single company. It is valid for a full year on all imports to the USA and no further charges are required.
If you plan to ship more than three times in the next year, we recommend purchasing a continuous bond, as it is less expensive and it covers additional ISF bond requirements. Additionally, users have reported that goods sent with single-entry bonds are more likely to be inspected than those sent with continuous bonds.
Note: Shipping FDA-regulated goods? Read this.
When it comes to freight, sometimes things that are out of our control happen.
Should anything happen to your shipment while in transit - whether it's lost, stolen, damaged, or if something happens to the carrier - you want to be covered.
You can include cargo insurance in your quote by clicking the the Add insurance box in the Additional services section at the bottom of the search page.
This insurance policy is provided by a third-party provider, Falvey Insurance Group, not Freightos.com, and covers the value of goods according to the value you input in your initial search.
The cost is based on the value of your goods: 0.1% of the cargo value + $25. The minimum is $35.
You'll be asked to enter the value of your shipment and your quotes will then include that cost.
Should you need to submit a claim for missing or damaged goods, you can do so directly with Falvey Insurance Group.
Check the full insurance policy here.
Freightos does not provide quotes for personal shipments.
Our forwarders only work with business deliveries and a commercial invoice is required for all transactions.
Your goods ready date is the estimated day on which your goods will be ready to ship.
If you're shipping from a factory, this will be the date your supplier determines that the goods are manufactured, packaged, and ready to go. If you're shipping from a port, it will be the date that the goods are set to be moved to the forwarder for handling the international leg.
You don't have to be 100% sure of your Goods Ready date when searching Freightos. This date is intended as an estimate to give the freight provider a rough idea of when their job begins. They will reach out to you and your supplier after the shipment is booked to choose a final date.
We recommend placing your Freightos booking 7-10 days before your estimated cargo ready date. This will allow the forwarder to arrange the next best sailing for your cargo and arrange pickup as soon as the cargo is ready.
Note: Every quote has an expiration date and if your cargo is picked up past that date, the forwarder may re-quote the shipment at current rates.
Shipping from Multiple Origins
If you have goods at two different factories in the same geographical area (ie, in the same city), we recommend that the factory that has the smaller of the two shipments delivers the goods to the second factory. The receiving factory can then combine them into one shipment.
Note: Additional charges will apply, since the goods are palletized together and because two separate customs clearances will be performed and thus charged to your account after pick-up.
Shipping to Multiple Destinations
Freightos does not currently support shipments to multiple destinations. We can, however, request a custom quote from our forwarders for this kind of shipment. Chat with us online for more information.
Your overseas factory/supplier may occasionally offer to arrange the shipment to the US port and then have you choose a forwarder to handle the shipment from there.
Due to US customs requirements, logistics providers selling with Freightos will not arrange shipments from US Ports to their final destination in the US, Canada, or Mexico.
We advise against booking the port-door leg of your shipment separately from the rest of your order. It may seem tempting to have your Chinese factory arrange shipment to the USA port, and then for you to choose a different forwarder to handle the rest, but there are several reasons why this is may not be the most efficient choice:
1) Unexpected charges: If your factory is arranging a “to USA port only” shipment (also known as CFR/CIF), the quote does NOT include destination charges, which can cost anywhere between $300-$700, depending on the port and the size of the shipment.
This charge must be paid to the US representative of the freight company your factory is working with and we cannot begin to process the next leg of your shipment until it is paid. This charge can not be added to any quote on Freightos, and will be solely your responsibility.
2) Customs filing. The US Customs and Border Protection Agency requires an Import Security Filing (ISF) to be filed before your goods leave China. This is the responsibility of your chosen customs broker, and failure to have the paperwork completed in time can result in heavy fines.
It can be very difficult to coordinate timing, as the ISF filing is handled by the second forwarder, while your factory is more concerned with sending the goods on their way. You, therefore, need to coordinate with both to ensure that the paperwork is filed correctly and promptly.
Because of all these intricacies and the subsequent potential for error, it’s much better to book an FOB quote with us that starts in China and ends at your desired destination, so that Freightos and our partners can take care of everything.
A customs bond is a contract used to guarantee that the payment of import duties and taxes will be fulfilled by the importer.
It is required for all US imports.
The transit time of a shipment depends on the mode selected and is estimated according to the different steps through which a shipment is processed.
Pickup (1-3 days) -> Container Freight Station (2-3) -> Container Yard (3-7) -> Origin Port (sailing time determined by schedule provided by Seller) -> Destination Port -> Container Yard (2-3) -> Container Freight Station (1-3) -> Destination (1-3)
Pickup (1-3 days) -> Container Yard (3-7) -> Origin Port (sailing time determined by schedule provided by Seller) -> Destination Port -> Container Yard (2-3) -> Destination (1-3)
Pickup (1-3 days) -> FF Warehouse/Terminal (1-2) -> Origin Airport (flight time determined by schedule provided by Seller) -> Destination Airport (1-2) -> FF Warehouse/Terminal (1-3) -> Destination (1-3)
An estimated transit time calculation is provided with every freight quote on Freightos.
Note: Transit times are not guaranteed. You can read more here.
You can ship almost anything on Freightos, however, our forwarders will not ship hazardous materials (HAZMAT), including:
Explosives
Gases
Flammable liquids
Flammable solids
Oxidizing substances
Toxic and infectious substances
Radioactive materials
Corrosives
Miscellaneous dangerous goods
Dry ice/cardice/solid carbon dioxide
Expandable polymeric beads/polystyrene beads
Ammonium nitrate fertilizers
Blue asbestos/crocidolite
Lithium ion batteries (with some exceptions)
Lithium metal batteries
Battery powered equipment
Battery powered vehicles
Fuel cell engines
Internal combustion engines
Vehicles
Magnetized material
Dangerous goods in apparatus
Dangerous goods in machinery
Genetically modified organisms
Genetically modified microorganisms
Chemical kits
First aid kits
Life saving appliances
Air bag modules
Seatbelt pretensioners
Plastics moulding compound
Castor bean plant products
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Polychlorinated terphenyls
Dibromodifluoromethane
Benzaldehyde
To search by mode, simply log into your account and make sure you've selected "pallets, boxes, crates".
Then, select the origin location type (Factory/Warehouse, Business, Port/Airport or Residential), add the origin country and city/zip code.
Next, select the destination location type (same as above), add the destination country and city/zip code.
Then, click next steps, select your customs and additional services, additional details and insurance and click "SEARCH & BOOK".
Once your results load, you can select your ocean, air or express rate based on the icons next to each Freight Forwarder's name.
From there just select and book your shipment!
Freightos wants to make it possible to choose the perfect logistics provider for every one of your shipments. That is why we provide several features to help you get to know your vendor better.
Clicking on a company logo in your search results will open a new window on the right of the screen with information about a forwarder, including a short description of the company, the number of shipments each provider has sent through Freightos, service specialties, and their web address. You can also see reviews from real Freightos users.
Freightos provides this information as a way of making the shipment process as transparent as possible.
The Freightos Marketplace is made up of a global network of first-rate logistics service providers. We extensively vet new sellers and takes measures to ensure that only high-quality forwarders offer services.
Our forwarders and carriers include Sinotrans, ECU Worldwide, Yusen Logistics, and more than 70 others.
You can learn more about any logistics provider by clicking on their name on the results page.
Freightos quotes include all charges stemming from freight services, including handling fees, loading charges, documentation processing, and any other costs related to the movement of your goods.
You can also opt-in to other relevant charges if needed (eg, customs bond or broker and shipment insurance).
There are some costs that simply cannot be included upfront, however...
Charges Not Included
Customs Duties
Customs duties are paid to the government via your forwarder or customs broker, and are calculated based on your goods’ value. The charge is only determined upon the arrival of your goods at the destination. You can estimate customs costs with our customs calculator
Unanticipated Charges
There are some costs that cannot be anticipated. For example, some shipments get randomly chosen for customs inspections at the port, incurring a charge from the Customs Border and Protection Agency. There’s also the possibility that an Act of God like a major storm, or a port strike, can delay shipments, resulting in extra fees.
Booking Mistake
If information you provided for your quote is missing or inaccurate, if your factory keeps the truck waiting too long, or if you’re missing crucial paperwork, charges may be applied that are simply out of our control. To avoid such charges, we recommend talking to a member of our Freight Team to ensure that all necessary details are accurate and accounted for.
List of Freight Charges
Express shipments are booked with a courier for door to door service and are the quickest freight option available. They are generally used for small shipments only (ie, less than 50 kg).
Air is standard air freight and can be port/door to port/door. Air is less expensive than Express service and more expensive than Ocean service.
Freight providers selling on Freightos are obligated to stand by their quotes throughout the validity period, so the original quote you see is accurate and will not change as long as your shipment information doesn't change.
The quote is based on the input that you provide when searching, so if there is a deviation from your original input and what was actually shipped, or if your pickup time changed, it may impact the accuracy of the quote, leading to a quote change.
There will also likely be customs duties or other governmental fees not included in the original quote and which are not the responsibility of the seller.
Although the freight industry presents many unknowns, Freightos and its partners are committed to reducing the uncertainties with defined and transparent pricing wherever possible. Check out our Transparent Pricing Policy for more.
There are several filters on the results page that can help you narrow down the quotes that work best for you.
You can sort quotes by best value, cheapest, quickest, or greenest.
Best value combines cheapest and quickest for a "best bang for your buck" quote.
Greenest is based on a calculation of the carbon emissions resulting from moving cargo, and was added as part of the global interest in capping the global rise in temperature and decreasing CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions. You can learn more about CO2 emissions here.
You can also filter your quotes according to several different parameters:
Mode: Choose if you want to chip by ocean, air, or Express courier (this only applies for LCL shipments - container shipments can only move by ocean).
Price: Adjust the price range that you're looking to pay on the shipment.
Seller: Select the forwarders whose rates you want to see.
Reviews: We ask real Freightos customers to leave reviews on the forwarder that handled their shipment and those reviews are averaged into a star rating which can be used as a filter.
Routing: Select whether you have a preferred origin or destination port, as well as whether or not you want to see indirect results.
These filters are defined by Freightos criteria. They may change from time to time and may not take your specific needs into consideration. If you think a different quote is the best value for you, please apply your own criteria when making your choice.
If you have not received any results for your search, it is possible that we do not yet have instant quotes for this lane.
If you're searching within the regions that Freightos supports, you will be prompted to submit a request for a custom quote from within the Freightos platform.
We will reach out to our freight forwarders to request a custom quote and contact you with the quote breakdown as soon as possible.
We cannot guarantee results, however.
Each quote includes a date of validity. As long as pickup is before the last date of validity, the price you are offered at the time of search will be the price you pay, subject to the Transparent Pricing Policy.
Each quote has a defined validity period. After the expiration date, the forwarder may need to re-quote at current rates. We will contact you for an approval of any rate increase before your shipment is handled.
There is an icon in the quote summary that indicates whether a quote is for sea (ship), air (normal plane), or express (fast plane):
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If you prefer one mode over another, you can filter your results by using Filters:
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The quotes provided on the results page will not always specify the carrier name or route. That information is provided at the freight forwarder’s discretion.
Freightos tries to provide this information when and to whatever degree possible, however, we can assure you that our chosen freight forwarders work with reputable international carriers and third party service providers.
You may also have the opportunity, depending on your search results, to book directly with a carrier.
You can reach out to us for a custom quote if your shipment fulfills one of the following criteria:
Multiple destinations for FBA
Multiple destinations for LCL, except FBA
Multiple Origins
Special Routing requirements
Next day pickup other than LTL and Express
Oversized Cargo LTL
FTL
Your shipment is within the following geographic focus CN, HK, TW, KR, VN, DE, IT, FR, IL US, CA, UK US, UK CA, UK US, CA (LTL)
Oversized Air Shipments
Hazardous - Batteries Only (MSDS req.)
FCL shipments to Amazon
We often celebrate different occasions by offering promotion codes towards specific shipments. They do have limitations, so be sure to read the terms carefully.
You may also want to look into our referral program, which offers free account credit for every customer you send our way.
Anyone who is shipping a commercial shipment (ie, from a factory, for business purposes, has a commercial invoice for the shipment, etc.) is able to book with Freightos.
Every order booked on Freightos is checked by our team and we have the right to decline any shipment that does not meet the terms of our policies or which is on the list of commodities that we do not cover.
International shipments require a Tax ID for the respective importing country. If you're importing to the US but are not located there, some of our freight providers can help to represent you or your company there. Otherwise, you will need to set up a foreign importer of record.
Freightos provides rates for within certain validity periods with some lasting days, weeks, or months from when you search. A quote's Valid Until date is clearly listed on the quote result.
If you have a shipment ready, but do not plan on shipping until after any of the valid dates of the quotes provided, please contact us and we will try to get you a valid quote.
If you decide to book a quote before knowing your goods ready dates, be advised that if your cargo is picked up too far past the expiration date the forwarder may need to re-quote at current rates.
After you book your shipment, add the necessary information, and upload the required documents, Freightos will check the provided information to verify that it is complete and in the scope of our services.
We will then provide your information to your provider. You can follow the status of your shipment on the Shipments page.
Freightos also acts as a collection agent for the freight providers, so we are authorized to collect payment on their behalf.
If you have any questions, you can direct them to the provider or contact us.
After you place a booking, you will be asked to complete your detailed pickup (consignor) and delivery (consignee) information and upload the documents we need to process your shipment; specifically, the commercial invoice, packing list, and power of attorney where necessary.
Freightos will then verify all the shipment details are in place. Once we approve and send your shipment details to your freight forwarder, they will contact your supplier/the origin directly to confirm the booking and arrange pickup/dropoff at port. Your forwarder and supplier will then handle the logistics and you will be kept updated with the progress.
At that point, you will also be able to communicate with the forwarder online to coordinate any additional information.
When you place an order with Freightos, you are purchasing freight services directly from the provider whose quote you chose.
They will be fully responsible for executing all of the services ordered.
All communication with the forwarder, as well as information and document sharing, takes place securely on the Freightos platform and we are available for questions at any time.
A service contract is a business agreement between you and your shipment provider. If your carrier requires you to sign one, the Freightos Operations Team will be in touch with you after you book your shipment.
Once signed and submitted, you will not be allowed to revise or cancel your shipment. If you choose not to sign it, you can cancel your order subject to the Freightos SOP.
Providers that sell through Freightos are given a period of 24 hours from the time of receipt of the completed shipment (including required documentation, etc.) to accept or decline the service request.
A provider may reject to service your shipment due to capacity issues, special operational requirements, or commodity restrictions (ie, hazardous goods).
Providers may not reject shipments without cause and we take such violations very seriously.
HS Codes, also known as Harmonized System Codes, are a standardized international system to classify globally traded goods and products.
You can get your HS Code from your factory/supplier or your commercial invoice.
Note: Your customs broker will have final say (and ultimate liability) in determining your HS Code.
In order to manufacture goods for export, your factory needs to have a license that demonstrates compliance with its country’s export laws. Unfortunately, some suppliers will sell to you without having an exporter license.
But don’t worry, your forwarder can help.
Freight forwarders can help you ensure compliance on your goods by coordinating with a licensed trading company in your country of manufacture and arranging for them to become the exporter of record.
This essentially means a third-party takes responsibility for compliance. It’s legal, and will save you a hassle.
It’s important to note that your forwarder will charge an additional fee for this service. Ultimately, though, having the necessary compliance and enabling your goods to leave on schedule will save you much more.
When goods are imported internationally, government agencies may impose Customs Duties (also called Customs Taxes).
There are three costs required to release of any import shipment from US customs: the customs brokerage, a customs bond, and the cost of the duties themselves.
While you can add customs brokerage and a customs bond to your freight quote when you search, the same cannot be said of the actual taxes.
The cost of customs taxes/duties themselves depends on what goods are being shipped and are paid to the government via your customs broker only once the goods arrive at port. It, therefore, cannot be included in our quote upfront.
You will ultimately be responsible for the payment of customs duties/taxes related charges. Freightos takes no responsibility for arranging or paying for customs.
If you purchase customs brokerage services through Freightos, then your forwarder will bill you directly for any applicable duties. Otherwise, you need to arrange for the release of your goods from customs yourself. Shipments and goods may be delayed, detained or withheld from release if customs are not paid in a timely manner.
Tip: You can get an idea of what the cost of duties will be using our duty calculator.
In an effort to make freight easier, Freightos now offers credit terms.
You may be eligible if you are:
A multinational company
Have sent at least two shipments of $2000+ using Freightos
To apply for Freightos credit, click the Apply for credit button at the top of any page. From there, you can request an application for by email.
Required for the application are:
Legal Agreement
Have sent at least two shipments of $2000+ using Freightos
Freight rates fluctuate for a number of reasons, including:
Supply and demand
Because the number of shipment lanes is constant, the higher the demand on each lane, the greater the prices will be.
General Rate Increase (GRI)
An anticipated increase made at a carrier's discretion that must be announced at least 30 days in advance, but may be lowered at any time.
General Rate Increase (GRI)
An anticipated increase made at a carrier's discretion that must be announced at least 30 days in advance, but may be lowered at any time.
There are many shippers who take advantage of anticipated market lulls, deferring shipments when possible. Two peak seasons to watch out for include Chinese New Year and the end of summer (August).
You can refer to the Freightos Global Index to view year over year pricing trends. As you continue to learn more about how freight works, you may begin to anticipate the trends yourself.
Prices on Freightos change to reflect fluctuations in the freight market. Don't worry, though. Sellers are obliged to stand by the quotes provided as long as you book or save them. For your convenience, a valid until date is provided with all quotes (pictured below).
Freightos offers three payment options:
Credit card: Freightos accepts all major credit cards. If you pay by credit card, your booking will be verified immediately upon successful payment.
Wire transfer/ACH payment: Wire instructions will be sent to you immediately after booking. Wire transfers are usually posted within seven days from the date of transfer. Your shipment will only be processed upon receipt of funds.
Freightos Credit: Freightos offers credit to qualified customers. You can apply for credit by clicking Apply for Credit on the menu bar. Learn more here.
At Freightos we do everything we can to get you an accurate freight quote from the outset. Sometimes, however, the details provided when booking a quote do not match what the forwarder finds while processing a shipment. This can result in price adjustments as the forwarder accounts for any inconsistencies or modifications.
We’ve worked closely with our freight forwarders to come up with a list of items that can impact your final cost. Most cost changes arise if the shipment details you provide when booking are different from the specifications of the actual shipment or if you fail to provide complete documentation in a timely fashion.
You will be responsible for additional payments if any of the following arise:
Most Common
Weight, quantity, and/or dimension adjustments
Change in the pallet count
Container size adjustments (ie, 20’ to 40’)
Unsuccessful pickup/delivery attempts
Time taken to load/unload a shipment is beyond the freight forwarder's allotted time
Additional services resulting from change in shipment Incoterm
Market-going repacking rates if shipment is poorly packed
Other Allowable Charges
Late, incorrect, or insufficient submission of documents
Changes to commercial documents
Missing Export License
Rate changes if shipment is after validity date
Any charges related to Customs, Other Government Agency (OGA), and/or security inspections, including:
Additional lines for Customs declaration
Penalties for shipment holds
Tariff reclassification or other government investigation costs
Additional trucking, warehousing, and handling charges arising from the holding of a shipment
X-ray customs charges
Homeland security charge
Buyer fines, container demurrage, and detention due to missed pickup or delivery
Rebooking because of incorrect information or missing documentation
Events of force majeure beyond the control of the freight forwarder (ie, natural disaster, port strikes, etc.)
Additional services required that were not specified in the initial quote request including Amazon, UPS, trade show, and other company specific services, such as fulfillment delivery charges, labelling, or palletization charges
Labelling and palletization
Freightos reviews every additional charge before your quote is updated. You will not be charged until we confirm that the adjustment is legitimate and acceptable.
If there are any differences in your shipment details between the time you book and the time your order is picked up (ie, the shipment weighs more than originally input) you will be subject to pay the accurate quote amount.
You will be notified of any additional charges as they are incurred.
You can receive an up-to-date pro-forma invoice from the moment of booking a shipment until delivery on the Shipment Charges tab. The pro forma invoice always shows the latest status of your shipment, including any additional charges incurred.
You'll also be able to download a tax invoice from the Shipment Charges tab once a shipment has been delivered.
Payment for shipment is due immediately at the time of booking when paying by credit card or immediately after placing your order when paying by wire transfer/ACH.
Users who qualify for Freightos credit are subject to different payment terms.
Freightos accepts payments in US Dollars (USD) and Great Britain Pounds (GBP).
If you selected to pay by wire transfer/ACH payment when you booked your shipment and you have not yet transferred the payment, then you can change your payment method to credit card.
Simply email ship@freightos.com and our operations team will send you a credit card payment link where you will be able to pay for your shipment.
You will be able to choose between two payment terms: net 14 days or net 30 days.
If your payment terms are net 30, Freightos will email you an invoice on the day of your shipment’s delivery. You will then have 30 days to pay the shipment amount.
For net 14 payment terms, you will receive an invoice on the day of shipment delivery. You will then have 14 days to pay the shipment amount.
To learn more about getting credit terms with Freightos, check out these articles:
Freightos is happy to offer credit terms to support business growth.
You can apply for Freightos Credit by clicking Apply for Credit on the header menu bar and then clicking Send me the application form to receive the credit application.
Depending on your history with Freightos, your credit check, and your bank or business references, it can take between 5-10 days for your application to be reviewed and approved.
Once you’re approved for a Freightos credit line, you can select the Pay with credit option on the payment page.
Note: In order to be eligible for credit, you must have shipped and paid for at least two shipments with Freightos with a total value of at least $2,000 USD. Exceptions may apply for multinational companies, so please inquire with your account manager.
To learn more about Freightos Credit, check out these articles:
All shipments on Freightos include a 3% platform fee. This enables us to provide an industry-leading shipment booking experience.
When you book a shipment with Freightos, you know what’s included, what’s not included, and what additional charges may come up during the lifecycle of the shipment.
To learn more, check out the Freightos Transparent Pricing Policy.
Sellers on Freightos are obligated to stand by their quotes throughout the validity period, so the original quote you receive is accurate and will not change.
The quote is based on the input that you provide when searching, so if there is a deviation between your original input and what was actually shipped, or if your pickup times changed, this may impact the accuracy of the quote and it may change. There may also be additional charges that are outside the control of the seller which you will be charged for (ie, customs duties).
Although the freight industry presents many unknowns, Freightos and its partners are committed to reducing the uncertainties with defined and transparent pricing wherever possible. For more, check out our Transparent Pricing Policy.
Freightos reserves the right to amend credit and payment terms stipulated in the credit request decision letter at any time. If credit and payment terms are amended or withdrawn, you will be notified. Once credit and payment terms have been withdrawn you can re-apply for new credit and payment terms after six months.
If you have credit and payment terms with us and do not settle payments according to the provided payment terms, then the credit and payment terms will be withdrawn with immediate effect after the missed payment deadline.
To learn more about getting credit terms with Freightos, click through to the following articles:
We will make a credit decision between 5-10 days from the successful submission of a credit application. It may take longer if the bank and business references provided are not available for an interview within this time frame.
After a final review, a credit request decision letter will be sent to you either specifying the credit limit and the payment terms or rejecting your application. If rejected, you may reapply after six months.
To learn more about getting credit terms with Freightos, check out the following articles:
To evaluate your creditworthiness, Freightos will review your credit application, as well as your history of shipments with Freightos. Based on these parameters, Freightos may also review the following items:
Credit Score
As part of the credit evaluation process, Freightos requests credit reports about your financial and credit performance from independent companies assessing the financial performance of companies based on the feedback of their suppliers.
Bank Reference
Upon submitting a credit application you should attach an up-to-date credit sheet from your bank. If your bank is unable to provide a credit sheet, then your bank account manager should be submitted as a bank reference person with contact information.
If a credit sheet is not available, the bank reference will be called for an interview where your credit status will be discussed and evaluated with the bank reference.
Business Reference
Upon submitting a credit application you should submit the names and contact details of two business references. Ideally, business references are your suppliers who are able to provide information about your business relations for at least a six-month period.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the business references are aware of their role and that they are able and willing to provide Freightos with the above mentioned information. During credit evaluation, your business references are called and a credit evaluation interview is conducted where your business and financial relations are discussed and evaluated.
Guarantor
If you prefer to provide a personal guarantor (who must sign the proper forms taking responsibility for the credit amount), then we do not need bank and business references.
For more information about Freightos credit, check out these articles:
AutoPay is our hassle-free payment processing method that allows you to save your credit card information to your account.
If your shipment incurs any cost adjustments, Freightos will send you an invoice and automatically bill your credit card once the shipment is finalized and closed. This helps prevent delays while your shipment is in transit
Don't worry, you will get a notification about every adjustment that is made and you can dispute anything that doesn’t look right.
Note: You can learn about the measures we take to keep your credit card secure here.
More About AutoPay:
Booking a shipment using a credit card requires you to sign up for AutoPay.
If you are an existing customer, you can add your credit card information the next time you create a shipment by clicking the Add card link in the Payment Method box on the checkout page.
Alternatively, you can add a credit card on the Shipment Charges tab on your shipment page.
Booking a shipment using a credit card automatically enrolls you in AutoPay. Opting out of AutoPay requires that you pay for your next shipment using Freightos Credit or bank wire.
If you would like to opt out of AutoPay and delete your credit card information, please contact us.
You can add or change your stored credit information at any time by clicking the Change credit card details link under the Billing tab of the Shipment page.
All Shipment Cost Adjustment emails include a link to a dispute form.
You can also initiate a dispute on Freightos by opening the Shipment Charges tab in your shipment and clicking the link under Dispute? in the Shipment Cost Adjustments box.
All payment disputes must be filed within five business days.
Click here for more details about the dispute process.
All credit card data is tokenized. This means that we don’t actually store the details of your card, but rather a “token” that represents it. This high-level security practice allows you - and us - to rest easy knowing that your data is safe.
Learn more about Freightos’ Data Security & Privacy Promise.
A General Rate Increase (GRI) is the amount by which ocean carriers increase their base rates across specific lines, generally as a result of increased demand.
Within the United States, ocean freight price increases must be reported to the Federal Maritime Commission 30 days before they go into effect. Over the course of the month, between when they are reported and implemented, carriers can decide against the GRI (or decide to lower the exact value) based on supply/demand changes.
They can leave the GRI as reported or reduce it, but they cannot increase prices over the initially-reported GRI value.
You can download a complete account statement, which provides a rundown of your outstanding balance, on the Billing page.
You can pay any outstanding balances on the Shipment Charges tab on your shipment page.
A disbursement fee is a 2.5% surcharge on customs duties paid by credit
card.
Note: Customs duty payments made via Wire Transfer, ACH, or SEPA do not incur this fee.
A convenience fee of 2.5% is applied to all Freightos Credit payments made by credit card upon delivery of goods.
Please note that this amount is to cover transaction expenses – not for our profit. However, the fee will not apply to payments made when shipments are in “in transit” status.
Note: Freightos Credit payments made via Wire Transfer, ACH, or SEPA do not incur this fee.
In order for your shipment to be processed, the forwarder you choose needs to know the consignor and consignee details for your shipment.
Here's a brief explanation of these two key roles in freight shipping:
Consignor
The consignor is the exporter of record for your shipment.
The consignor is usually one of the following:
The factory where your goods are manufactured.
The sourcing agent who serves as the main point of contact for your export and takes ownership of the export, including finding your factory and arranging necessary documentation.
The origin location if different from the factory (ie, the factory's warehouse).
Consignee
The consignee is the importer of record for your shipment. They are also responsible for paying duties and any additional freight charges.
The consignee is usually one of the following:
You, AKA the buyer of the goods from overseas AKA the person who placed the booking on Freightos.com!
Your client (if you represent someone who will serve as the final destination).
Note: If you are shipping to a 3rd party like Amazon, or if your goods stop at an inspection service before they go to the final destination - these parties are NOT the consignee. The importer is the consignee.
If you are shipping EXW or FOB, the consignee is responsible for freight charges once the consignor hands off to the forwarder.
As your shipment is processed, your logistics provider may ask for several documents to ensure that your shipment is processed and delivered correctly.
A breakdown of nine of the most important documents can be found here, but it's worth familiarizing yourself with the three that are most essential:
Your Commercial Invoice (CI) is the passport for your shipment and should be provided by the supplier/consignor/exporter of record. This document is required for air, ocean, and express shipments. For more information, see the US Customs' required CI details for importing to the US.
The Packing List (PL) describes the volume, weight, and number of boxes in your shipment and should be provided by the supplier/consignor/exporter of record.
The Power of Attorney (POA) document authorizes the freight forwarder's customs broker to clear your goods through customs on your behalf. The POA is sent either by Freightos.com or your provider.
In order for your shipment to be processed, the forwarder you choose needs to know the consignor and consignee details for your shipment.
Here's a brief explanation of these two key roles in freight shipping:
Consignor
The consignor is the exporter of record for your shipment.
The consignor is usually one of the following:
The factory where your goods are manufactured.
The sourcing agent who serves as the main point of contact for your export and takes ownership of the export, including finding your factory and arranging necessary documentation.
The origin location if different from the factory (ie, the factory's warehouse).
Consignee
The consignee is the importer of record for your shipment. They are also responsible for paying duties and any additional freight charges.
The consignee is usually one of the following:
You, AKA the buyer of the goods from overseas AKA the person who placed the booking on Freightos!
Your client (if you represent someone who will serve as the final destination).
Note: If you are shipping to a 3rd party like Amazon, or if your goods stop at an inspection service before they go to the final destination - these parties are NOT the consignee. The importer is the consignee.
If you are shipping EXW or FOB, the consignee is responsible for freight charges once the consignor hands off to the forwarder.
If you purchase customs brokerage through Freightos.com and this is your first time shipping with your freight forwarder, you will have to submit a Power of Attorney (POA).
A POA will be sent to you either directly from your provider or from Freightos.com.
The POA should be signed by the entity that is importing the goods -- the same entity that appears on the commercial invoice.
Importing as a company?
Input your EIN/IRS number. The signer must be the President, Vice President, Officer, Owner, or Treasurer. Provide a copy of your SS4 form or another document that serves as proof for your EIN/IRS tax ID number.
Importing as an individual or sole proprietorship with no EIN/IRS tax ID number?
Input your social security number instead. Provide a copy of your social security card or passport. If you are not based in the USA and don't have an EIN, please let us know so we can help you arrange one.
If you need to cancel your shipment, send us an email (ship@freightos.com) or a message in chat with your shipment number and reason for cancelling.
If you cancel before any charges are incurred (ie, truck dispatch for pickup), then you will be refunded for your quote in full.
If you cancel after any charges are incurred (ie, the freight provider has picked up your shipment), then you will be charged for any costs incurred by the provider.
Once we pass your order on to the logistics provider, they will verify all details about the shipment and take three actions:
Make sure no further information is needed and reach out to you if any details are missing.
Call the factory to verify when the goods will be ready for pick up/hand off.
Make a booking with the carrier to secure space for your goods.
Once the forwarder creates a carrier booking, he will upload the following information to Freightos:
Planned pickup date (which can be the pickup from the factory or the date coordinated with the consignor to bring the goods to port).
Estimated time of departure from port (for air and ocean shipments).
Estimated time of arrival to port (for air and ocean shipments).
In order to import goods into the US and pay the required customs taxes/duties when your goods arrive from overseas, you need to provide two contacts based in the country you’re shipping to:
Importer of Record. The party responsible for paying customs and duties, plus any liabilities related to the customs.
Ultimate Consignee. The official US-based contact for the customs authority.
Note: If you are shipping FBA, Amazon can serve as the consignee and you can use their EIN to import.
Most US imports are done by US companies. It's simply the most straightforward way of importing goods because the Customs Border and Protection Agency (CBPA) will only approve shipments for companies that have an American Tax ID/EIN.
Many companies get concerned that they won't be able to import into the US if their business is not based in the US and don't have an ID/EIN. But have no fear! You can import into the US as long as you establish your company as a Foreign Importer of Record.
Note: Setting your company up as a Foreign Importer will link it with the United States IRS, which can have other impacts on your company. Please check with your local accountant/lawyer.
The first thing you'll need to do is get your non US based company set up with an EIN:
Provide US Mailing Address
If your company is based outside of the US, then it's unlikely you have a US address. If you have friends in the US, ask if you can borrow theirs. Alternatively, there are services you can pay to receive mail for your company. We've heard good things from customers about USAMail1, but feel free to search around for one that works best for you.
Fill Out Articles of Incorporation (SS-4)
You will need to complete this form in order to obtain a tax ID number (EIN). Here's a direct link to the form and some instructions on how to fill it out. Don't worry if it's not perfect since you don't actually need to file the form; you'll just need the information when you call the IRS to get your EIN.
Call the IRS to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Once you have a US address and have filled out the SS-4, you can call the IRS at 267-941-1099 (from 6AM - 11PM EST, M-F) to request a tax ID number.
The call lasts around 20 minutes, so keep in mind that this is not a toll-free number. During your call, you will have to provide answers to around eight questions. At the end of the conversation, you’ll receive your free EIN number! You can learn more on the IRS website.
Once you have your EIN number, you'll need a Customs Assigned Importer Number (CAIN). Your customs broker (or, if you've booked customs through Freightos, our team) can help you get the CAIN once you provide the following:
Customs Power of Attorney (POA) If the POA is uploaded on the shipment page, Freightos will send it to you. Otherwise, the Forwarder is responsible for sending the POA directly to the customer.
Picture ID
Your New ID/EIN
IRS Letter Some customs brokers will need a copy of the letter that the IRS mails to your US address after they've assigned you an EIN. This can take 3-4 weeks to arrive, so do this in advance.
Note: Some Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers will help you complete this service for a fee. You can add it under Additional details.
An Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number is used in the EU to provide statistical and security information to customs authorities.
All goods imported or exported outside of the EU require an EORI number.
You can apply for an EORI number online. Some information will need to be provided by your freight forwarder.
Freightos encourages you to communicate directly with your provider if you have any problems with your shipment. You can do this directly on the Freightos platform through the Messenger, which will be available once you enter all necessary shipment details.
If you do not see the Message Freight Forwarder option on your shipment page, it's possible that your forwarder does not yet have the messenger capability.
In that case, you should contact the Freightos Operations team at ship@freightos.com, through live chat at ship.freightos.com, or by phone at +1 877 222 8727 or +44 20 3872 2358.
If your goods are being delivered to an address other than yours/the consignee's (ie, a storage facility), you can add the Ship To address on your shipment page. To do this, check the Deliver to different address checkbox in the Consignee (Importer of Record) section.
After you book your shipment, you are required to add further details (eg, consignor/consignee designation) and upload the required documents (eg, commercial invoice).
Once completed, Freightos.com will review the provided information to make sure that it is complete and within the scope of service provided.
If any information is incomplete or incorrect, we will reach out to let you know.
When you're in an individual shipment, clicking on the Shipment Charges tab will show you the full breakdown of your shipment cost. This includes the initial quote, as well as any additional charges your shipment incurs.
If you have not yet enabled AutoPay, you can pay for these charges directly from the Shipment Charges page. If you want to dispute a charge, you can do so by clicking the dispute button under the Shipment Cost Adjustments box.
Note: All invoices are available for download directly from the Shipment Charges tab.
When your shipment is underway, you can get an all-encompassing view of any actions required, tracking, status, messages, and more.
The map at the top of the page shows all shipments in process. Clicking on any icon on the map will bring up further details. You can also hide the map.
All information on the Shipment Page can be easily exported by clicking the Export button.
After submitting all your shipping instructions, your freight forwarder will handle it from there. They will be in direct contact with your factory to coordinate a time to pick up your goods, before the goods ready date.
To message your freight forwarder, you can do so directly on the Freightos.com platform, via the Shipment pages, once your shipment is confirmed.
Simply click on the “envelope” icon on the top right corner of your Shipment pages to send your message.
Please note, due to the time difference, allow time for your freight forwarder to respond.
Tracking your shipment is simple.
Stay up to date on each stage of your shipment by clicking the Shipments tab on the left sidebar. You’ll be notified and updated on your shipment status.
What else can you track?
Know the exact status of your goods. Whether it’s the Goods Ready date, when your freight forwarder received your goods, port departure date, port arrival date or delivery date, we’ve got an update for you, every step of the way.
Want to see more details for each shipment? Your Shipment page has different viewing options. Click on the button highlighted by the red box to change your viewing options.
View 1:
View 2:
Your shipment ready date can be changed at any time on the Shipments page by selecting the shipment you want to change and then clicking the Ready for Pickup date in Shipment Details.
Note: The final shipment ready date will be coordinated between the origin location and the freight provider, so it's okay if your planned date changes.
After Freightos reviews and verifies your shipment, you can communicate with your freight provider directly by clicking the blue envelope at the top your shipment page.
You will notified of new messages when you log in and via email.
Note: Providers are spread along several time zones so they don't always respond immediately.
If you believe that an adjustment charge is inaccurate or not aligned with the Freightos Transparent Pricing Policy, you can dispute it by submitting the Shipment Adjustment Dispute Form.
Freightos works with vetted freight providers that have the capacity to process goods in a timely manner. Although we cannot guarantee a delivery date, the transit times listed on the site are a good estimation based on our data.
You can learn more about how we estimate transit times here.
When a new shipment is booked on Freightos (and verified by the Freight Team), an email notification is sent to the Seller.
This HTML email includes:
A direct link to that shipment page on Freightos
All documents provided by the Buyer as attachments (eg, commercial invoices, labels, etc.)
A CSV file attachment that includes all the information required to handle the shipment
The CSV file was introduced to enable Sellers with limited development resources to easily integrate Freightos bookings into their TMS. That can be achieved by parsing shipment data from the CSV and pushing it directly to a TMS.
Below is a sample email notification sent by Freightos to the Seller immediately after a new shipment is booked on Freightos.
Only one email is sent per shipment
The email subject is always: "New {Mode} Shipment #SXXXXXXXXXXXX".
Each email includes one CSV file in addition to all documents provided by the Buyer.
The CSV file name will always be #SXXXXXXXXXXXX.csv (similar to the value in the email subject)
The CSV file holds the entire shipment data organised in the following structure:
Name
Description
Example/Values/Remarks
Time_Stamp
The date and time the shipment was verified by Freightos and passed to the Seller.
YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:SS UTC
Example:
2019-06-27 11:33:19 UTC
Freightos_Shipment_Id
The Freightos internal reference ID of the shipment.
Example: #S190614000279
Frieghtos_Shipment_Status
The status of the shipment.
Will always be:
Booking Sent To Logistics Provider
Transport_Mode
The mode of the shipment.
EXPRESS / FCL / AIR / LCL / LTL
Transport_Service
The shipment transportation service.
Door to door / Port to door / Door to port / Port to port
Goods_Ready_Date
The date, provided by the Buyer, when the goods will be ready for pickup.
YYYY-MM-DD
Example:
2019-06-27
Origin
The full address of the pickup location (when port, the port code and name).
Example:
Ru Kou Yin Du Dian Dang Xing, Shenchou - Longgang District, Guangdong, China
Est_Port_To_Port_TT
The estimated port-to-port transit time (usually provided by the Seller in the quote).
XX-XX days
Example:
5-9 days
Est_End_To_End_TT
The estimated end-to-end transit time (that was presented to the Buyer).
XX-XX days
Example:
10-14 days
Destination
The destination's full address (or port code and name).
Example:
1234 Monroe Street, Houston, TX, 77002, US
Not all fields in the CSV will contain a value (some fields are optional for the Buyer). The order of the field in the CSV header may change. Data parsing should not be done based on the field position in the header. New fields may be added (Sellers will be notified in advanced and it will be reflected in the documentation). The field names in the CSV header will never be changed. When opening the CSV file in Excel or Google Spreadsheets, some values may be changed/corrupted due to autoformatting.
Attached are a few CSV examples per mode
CSV example -EXPRESS
CSV example-FCL
CSV example-LCL(Amazon)
Once Freightos verifies your shipment details and sends them to your forwarder, they will coordinate with your origin location to secure a pickup location and time.
New to FBA? Looking for some expert tips? We've got you covered with the definitive resource for getting your products into any Amazon fulfillment center in North America. You can check it out here.
At the request of larger Amazon FBA sellers, Freightos has expanded instant quoting to Amazon FBA warehouses in order to support full container loads.
To access the feature, click on the Containers tab on the Ship to Amazon FBA page. There, you can select your quantities and container sizes.
Next, specify how you will be filling your container. You have three options:
Palletization by the freight forwarder before being sent to Amazon
Palletization by the supplier and sent directly to Amazon
Floor loaded and sent directly to Amazon
NOTE: Option three may extend delivery time, as Amazon prefers palletized shipments.
From there, you can complete the checkout process as usual.
For more information about shipping to Amazon FBA, see our complete Help Center guide.
To ship from an overseas factory to an Amazon warehouse, you need to fill out a few important addresses. Here’s a quick rundown of all of them, including some advice on entering a destination address.
1. Origin Address. This address is the location your goods are coming from (ie, the factory, warehouse, or port overseas).
2. Ship-From Address. This address must be entered on Amazon's. That’s because, in order for Amazon to assign you a warehouse to enter on our platform, you’ll need to tell them in Seller Central where your goods are coming from.
But here’s the catch: Amazon will likely assign you any warehouse throughout the country. This is fine, but it means that both the international and domestic freight may take longer to arrive and that means it will cost more.
What you can try doing is selecting an address near the port on the coast closer to where you’re shipping (ie, the port of Los Angeles if you’re shipping from China, or the port of New York if you’re shipping from Europe).
This way, the warehouse you get will probably (no promises) be closer to those ports, saving you on costs.
3. Destination: Amazon FBA Warehouse. The warehouse address you get from Amazon when creating your shipment plan becomes your ship-to or delivery address for your overall shipment. You can choose it from the dropdown on the platform.
You will be able to see the appropriate warehouse address provided by Amazon in the Freightos.com Amazon flow here.
4. Destination: UPS Pickup. If your shipment is going to multiple warehouses or its volume is under one CBM, you may choose to have UPS handle the last leg of the delivery from the forwarder’s warehouse to the Amazon warehouse.
Learn more here.
Consignor Address. You will need to fill this on your shipment page after you book a shipment. It refers to the address of your supplier or factory in the origin country.
Consignee Address. This also needs to be filled on your Shipment page, this is the contact address for customs to use in case there are any problems with duties. Amazon will not serve as the consignee of your shipment, so this contact will usually be you, the importer. If you’re importing on behalf of someone else, it will be their company.
Note: This needs to be an address in the country you’re shipping to; here’s some information about setting up an importer of record in the US. Check with your forwarder for requirements for imports to other countries.
Amazon will not serve as the ultimate consignee on an overseas shipment, which can raise some problems for overseas companies.
In order to pay the required customs and duties when your goods arrive from overseas, you need to provide two contacts based in the country you’re shipping to:
Importer of Record - responsible for paying customs and duties, plus any liabilities related to the customs.
Ultimate Consignee - the official contact for the customs authority if there’s any problem.
Most US imports are done by US companies. It's simply the most straightforward way of importing goods because the Customs Border and Protection Agency (CBPA) will only approve shipments for companies that have an American Tax ID/EIN.
Many companies get concerned that they won't be able to import into the US if their business is not based in the US and don't have an ID/EIN. But have no fear! You can import into the US as long as you establish your company as a Foreign Importer of Record.
Note: Setting your company up as a Foreign Importer will link it with the United States IRS, which can have other impacts on your company. Please check with your local accountant/lawyer.
To do this, you'll need a US address, a US tax ID number, and a Customs Assigned Importer Number (CAIN). Your customs broker can help you get the CAIN once you provide the following:
Customs Power of Attorney (POA) This will be provided by your forwarder.
Picture ID
Your New ID/EIN
IRS Letter Some customs brokers will need a copy of the letter that the IRS mails to your US address after they've assigned you an EIN. This can take 3-4 weeks to arrive, so do this in advance.
There are two way to get a US address and tax ID number:
1. Register as a foreign importer of record through the IRS.
You can list yourself as the consignee on the shipment, but you’ll then have to give the freight forwarder an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
This can be obtained by calling the IRS at 267-941-1099 (from 6AM - 11PM EST, M-F) to request a tax ID number.
The call lasts around 20 minutes, so keep in mind that this is not a toll-free number. During your call, you will have to provide answers to around eight questions. At the end of the conversation, you’ll receive your free EIN number! You can learn more on the IRS website.
2. Use third party providers to help obtain the necessary credentials.Some forwarders will be able to register your company as a foreign importer for you to be able to pay taxes. You can select this services on the Additional Services section of the Freightos search page.
Amazon has detailed requirements for shipping to one of their FBA warehouses and Freightos can make sure that all are included in your shipment.
Here’s how you can book your next Amazon shipment in less than ten steps:
Start by choosing whether you’re shipping boxes/pallets, or a full container, and enter the size, dimensions, and weight.
Amazon requires most shipments to their FBA warehouses to be labeled correctly, and delivered on pallets, so the next step is to choose how you want your shipment labeled and palletized. We recommend having your supplier handle labeling and palletization, as the forwarder will charge extra for that.
Now it’s time to tell us where the shipment is coming from and going to. The origin address is usually the factory overseas. The destination address will be the Amazon FBA warehouse that Amazon provides you in Seller Central. If you’re not sure which warehouse to choose, here’s some more information about what to look for.
The last step for searching is to add optional services like customs brokerage, a customs bond, and insurance to your shipment. We can also help arrange services if your company is not registered as the importer of record in the United States.
Note that quality inspection of your goods is not considered a freight service and therefore cannot be provided by our forwarders, but we’re happy to refer you to companies our shippers have used successfully.
Now’s the fun part. You’ll see dozens of quotes from multiple freight forwarders. To find the one that works best for your shipment, you can sort and filter to narrow down the options according to price, transit time, forwarder, and more. If you’re not ready to book yet, you can save the quote. When you’ve found the right quote, press Book.
Review your order summary and add a few key details, including your Amazon Reference ID and Amazon Shipment ID. Then, pick your payment method to pay and place your order.
You’ll automatically be directed to your shipment page. There, you’ll need to provide full details about the consignor (sender of goods) and consignee (receiver of goods), as well as upload relevant documents, like your commercial invoice.
Amazon will not serve as the consignee of your goods, so the address there should be the importer of record on your shipment.
Now’s the fun part. You’ll see dozens of quotes from multiple freight forwarders. To find the one that works best for your shipment, you can sort and filter to narrow down the options according to price, transit time, forwarder, and more. If you’re not ready to book yet, you can save the quote. When you’ve found the right quote, press Book.
Freight doesn't have to be complicated.
True, there are countless questions that come up with freight, dozens of charges, documents, and terms that need to be unraveled.
But, fortunately, we've done a lot of that unraveling for you.
Below is a guide to some incredibly helpful freight tools and resources that will not only answer a lot of questions you've likely asked about shipping freight, but also help you take ownership of your importing process.
Freight Knowledge
This extensive catalog of articles will take you through Freight 101 - and Freight 102.
You'll see a full breakdown of common freight charges, tips for reducing FBA costs, a full guide on incoterms, and so much more.
Freight Rate Calculator
This extensive catalog of articles will take you through Freight 101 - and Freight 102.
You'll see a full breakdown of common freight charges, tips for reducing FBA costs, a full guide on incoterms, and so much more.
Freight Term Glossary
Search through a full list of freight terms and explanations to help clarify any unknown word you might encounter.
Airport and Seaport Directory
Find the closest and most convenient ports for air and ocean shipping, plus identify the correct port codes for your origin and destination.
Containers, Pallets, and Boxes
Find dimensions for key shipping load types with this searchable tool.
As part of the global interest in capping the global rise in temperature and decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Freightos has added the ability to sort quotes according to a "green" rating based on a calculation of the carbon emissions resulting from moving cargo.The CO2 calculation is based on industry standards, combined with distance required for moving cargo and mode of transport.
Why This Matters
Every year, 33 billion tons of CO2 are emitted (a giant “CO2 cube” of that would measure 28 km per side). And the freight industry’s contribution to total Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) is about 10% for developed countries (and much more for developing countries).
Some more not-so-green facts:
Freight makes up 16% of US corporate greenhouse gas emissions.
Ocean shipping accounts for 2.2% of global carbon emissions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) projects emissions to increase 50%-250% by 2050.
Air freight emits nearly 50x more emissions per kilometer than ocean transportation.
What The Industry is Doing
Many forwarders are looking to reduce emissions by adopting "green freight" practices. Additionally, there is a growing list of upcoming carbon reduction legislation that will enforce increased care in this area.
Additionally, many forwarders are now interested in both emissions reporting and emissions reduction. For instance, over 70% of the 500 largest US-traded companies have issued Corporate Sustainability Reports, particularly related to carbon emissions. And if shippers want that data, forwarders will be providing it.
What Freightos is Doing
Freightos offers both emissions reporting and sorting by greenest, providing shippers the option to select greener routes, rather than merely the quickest or cheapest, route option.
Green freight initiatives fit with Freightos’ commitment to making the freight industry more transparent. Every shipping service offered on Freightos will now include a transparent CO2 footprint estimation, just one component of a suite of free CO2 calculation tools that will help customers optimize route and mode selection with live international CO2 footprint calculations.
How Do We Calculate CO2 Emission
CO2 emissions = Transport weight/volume by transport mode * Average transport distance by transport mode * Average CO2-emission factor per tonne-km by transport mode.
(Where for Air Freight the average CO2 emission factor per tonne-km is 500g, and for Ocean Freight the average CO2 emission factor per tonne-km is 4.3g.)
Ocean Freight Example:
CO2 estimation for shipping a 20’ container from Hong Kong to Hamburg:
Sailing distance from HKHKG Hong Kong to DEHAM Hamburg based on actual routes in commercial sailing schedules is 15073.00 km
For one 20’ container: 1.0 TEUs * average of 11.0 tons/TEU represents an estimated weight of 11000.00 kg
11 ton * 15073.0 km * 4.3 g / 1000000 = 713.0 kg CO2 emission (estimation)
Air Freight Example:
CO2 estimation for a 700 kg shipment from Konwojowa, Bielsko-Biała, Poland to Garrett, IN, US:
Distance from Konwojowa, Bielsko-Biała, Poland to Garrett, IN, US based on actual routes in commercial flight schedules is 7485 km
Transport weight by transport mode is 700 kg or 0.7 ton
0.7 ton * 7485 km * 500 g / 1000000 = 260 kg CO2 emission (estimation)
Golden Week 2020 is just around the corner. Manufacturers and logistics providers in China will be off from October 1st to October 8th.
Be sure to book any new shipments as soon as possible, and make sure that your goods are ready for pickup before October 1st!If you have shipments already in transit, no problem, they'll still be on their way.
For any questions, we're here to help.
From freight to finance we are here to help your business grow. Based on your business profile we will provide the right credit plan to fit your needs.*
Your credit line can be used towards any of the 50+ top forwarders and carriers on the Freightos platform.
* Companies with limited or no credit history may still be eligible for credit with Freightos based on their prior shipments with Freightos.
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How do I apply a promo code to my booking?
You can enter a promo code during the checkout process by clicking the Promo Code? link in the Amount Due box.
Note: Promo codes cannot be applied after booking.
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