Terminal Handling Charges (THC) Explained 2026: What Forwarders and Shippers Should Know
Terminal handling charges, almost always shortened to THC, are the fees a terminal operator levies on every container th...
Glossary
Explore a comprehensive list of logistics and freight forwarding terms to help you navigate the industry.
Landed Cost Calculation for Freight Forwarders 2026: Formula, Automation, and Client Reporting
In March 2026, a US importer of Chinese consumer electronics quoted a customer a delivered price based on a $50,000 FOB ...
Modernized ACE Portal: What Changed in CBP's 2026 Update
The Automated Commercial Environment, better known as ACE, is the single window every US importer, broker, and freight f...
Fulfillment as a Service (FaaS) for Freight Forwarders: When to Offer It
Freight forwarders have always lived in the gap between the carrier and the consignee. The shipment ends when the contai...
IEEPA Tariffs Explained: Emergency Trade Powers and US Freight Imports
In February 2026, a mid sized electronics importer in Long Beach received a customs invoice that was $84,000 higher than...
Split Shipment Explained: When Forwarders Use It and Customs Implications
A consumer electronics importer placed a single purchase order with their Shenzhen supplier for 1,800 units of a new pro...
1PL, 4PL and 5PL Explained: Logistics Service Tiers Beyond 3PL
Most logistics conversations stop at 3PL. The shipper hands inventory to a third party, the third party warehouses it an...
CBP Form 7507: Air Manifest General Declaration for Freight Forwarders
CBP Form 7507, officially titled General Declaration (Outward / Inward) Agriculture, Customs, Immigration and Public Hea...
MPF Consolidation: How to Save on US Merchandise Processing Fees
The Merchandise Processing Fee is one of the few CBP charges that a US importer can meaningfully lower without renegotia...
SCFI Explained: Shanghai Containerized Freight Index and How to Read It
If you read any shipping market report, freight rate newsletter, or carrier earnings call, you will see the SCFI mention...
Ocean Carrier Alliances 2026: Gemini, Premier and Ocean Alliance Explained
Ocean carrier alliances are vessel sharing agreements that let competing container lines pool ships, slot capacity, and ...
ICS2 Explained: EU Import Control System 2 Filing Requirements
If you move freight into the European Union and you are not already filing under ICS2, you are running out of runway. Th...
Cargo Insurance: Coverage Types, Costs and Why Freight Forwarders Need It
Cargo insurance is the policy that pays for physical loss of, or damage to, goods while they are in transit. It sits in ...
Certificate of Origin: Types, How to Get One, and Why It Matters
A furniture importer in Chicago ordered $420,000 worth of solid wood dining sets from a manufacturer in Vietnam. The shi...
What Is a Freight Audit? Process, Benefits, and Best Practices
A logistics manager at a consumer goods company in Ohio reviewed their freight spend after switching to a new TMS. Withi...
Freight Bill Explained: What It Is, Types, and How It Differs from Bill of Lading
A freight forwarder in Miami invoiced a customer $14,200 for an ocean shipment from Santos, Brazil to Port Everglades. T...
ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note): What It Is & Which Countries Require It
If you ship cargo to certain African countries by sea, there's a document you need that most shippers outside of Africa-...
DEQ (Delivered Ex Quay): What It Means in Shipping
If you've encountered the term DEQ in a contract, a textbook, or a conversation with an experienced trader, you're looki...
DAP (Delivered at Place): Incoterm Definition & Responsibilities
DAP puts most of the logistics burden on the seller. Under this Incoterm, the seller is responsible for delivering the g...
CFR (Cost and Freight): Incoterm Definition & Responsibilities
CFR is one of the most commonly used Incoterms in ocean freight, and also one of the most commonly misunderstood. The co...
Freight Forwarder: What It Is & How Freight Forwarding Works
You need to ship 20 pallets of electronics from a factory in Shenzhen to a warehouse in Dallas. Between those two points...
HS Code: What It Means & How to Find the Right Code
You're shipping a product overseas. Customs authorities at the destination need to know exactly what's inside the contai...
Bill of Lading (B/L) Explained: Types, Functions, and How Freight Forwarders Use It in 2026
Introduction Definition A bill of lading (B/L) is a legally binding document issued by a carrier (or a freight forwarder...
Demurrage: What It Means & How Charges Work in Shipping
You picked up the container from the port two days late. The reason was mundane — a missing document that took your cust...
ISF (Importer Security Filing): What It Is & How It Works
A container of furniture parts ships from Shenzhen to Long Beach. The freight forwarder submits the Importer Security Fi...
Telex Release: What It Means in Shipping
Your container arrived at the destination port three days ago. The consignee is ready to pick up the cargo. But the orig...
Customs Clearance: What It Means & How It Works
Every product that crosses an international border goes through customs clearance. It doesn't matter if it's a single pa...
FOB Shipping Point vs FOB Destination: Key Differences Explained
“We lost $18,000 in damaged cargo, and the worst part? Neither side knew who was responsible.”
CFS (Container Freight Station): What It Is and How It Works
A freight forwarder in Long Beach received an angry call from a customer. Their LCL shipment had arrived at the port thr...
LCL (Less Than Container Load): Definition, How It Works, and When to Use It
A specialty food importer in San Francisco needed to bring in 4 CBM of premium olive oil from a small producer in Puglia...
FCL (Full Container Load): Definition, When to Use It, and How It Works
A furniture importer in Atlanta was shipping 14 CBM of dining tables from a factory in Ho Chi Minh City. Their forwarder...
ITS Terminal Tracking
What is ITS Terminal? ITS Terminal (International Transportation Service, Inc.) is a marine container terminal operator ...
Fenix Marine Terminal Tracking
What is Fenix Marine Terminal? Fenix Marine Services (FMS) is a major container terminal operator at the Port of Los Ang...
Savannah Terminal Tracking
What is Savannah Terminal Tracking? Savannah Terminal tracking refers to the process of monitoring container status at t...
Garden City Terminal Tracking
What is Garden City Terminal? Garden City Terminal is the primary container terminal at the Port of Savannah, operated b...
Co-Loader
What is a Co-Loader? A co-loader is a logistics service provider that consolidates cargo from multiple shippers into a s...
Bayport Container Terminal: Ops, Drayage, and Cutoff Window
Bayport Container Terminal is Port Houston's flagship containerized freight terminal at 12621 Port Road, Pasadena, TX 77...
SCAC Code
Ever wondered how a massive retailer tracks thousands of inbound containers from dozens of different ocean carriers with...
CFR Incoterm Explained: The Definitive Guide for Forwarders (2026)
Ever stared at a quote with 'CFR Shanghai' and had to pause to clarify who's on the hook for risk, insurance, and unload...
How to File ISF Online: Step-by-Step 10+2 Filing Guide (2026)
Introduction If you handle US ocean imports, ISF (Importer Security Filing) isn't optional. It is federally mandated. Mi...
What is a TMS (Transportation Management System)? A Complete 2026 Guide
Introduction A TMS (Transportation Management System) is software that manages the planning, execution, and optimization...
Air Waybill (AWB): The Complete Guide for Freight Forwarders
Air Waybill (AWB): The Complete Guide for Freight Forwarders A shipment of automotive parts is sitting at Taipei Taoyuan...
What is The Gross Margin of Freight Forwarders? Benchmarks, Breakdown, & How to Improve It
A mid size freight forwarder in Houston closes the quarter with $4.2 million in revenue. The operations team has been bu...
Electronic Bill of Lading (eBL): How Digital Documentation Is Transforming Shipping
A freight forwarder in Rotterdam issued a paper bill of lading for a container of automotive parts destined for a plant ...
Everything Freight Forwarders Need to Know About The Electronic Cargo Tracking Note
What is the electronic cargo tracking note? The electronic cargo tracking note (ECTN), also known as the Bordereau de Su...
eAWB: The Complete Guide to Electronic Air Waybill
A freight forwarder in Ho Chi Minh City finishes processing a 12 pallet consolidation bound for Frankfurt. The documenta...
CIF: Cost, Insurance, and Freight
Navigating the intricate labyrinth of international shipping agreements can feel daunting for the uninitiated. Central t...
CFR Incoterms 2026: Cost and Freight Explained for Freight Forwarders
Introduction Definition CFR stands for Cost and Freight, an Incoterms 2020 rule for sea and inland waterway shipping onl...
What Does DEQ Mean? A Deep Dive into Quay Terminology
Confused by shipping jargon like DEQ and quay? You’re not alone. Understanding DEQ can drastically impact how your goods...
Decoding DDP (Incoterms): Import Clearance & Shipping Costs
In the vast ocean of international trade, DDP (Incoterms) stand out as a beacon for many businesses and freight forwarde...
Unraveling Demurrage & Detention Charges
Imagine the scene: a cargo arrives at a bustling port, ready for its next destination. But instead of being swiftly move...
What is Co-Loading Freight?
Co-Loading Freight Defined Similar to ride-sharing, co-loading freight is a fulfillment solution that transports pooled ...
Understanding Bill of Lading: The Essential Freight Bill
Introduction: The What and Why of Bill of Lading Ever puzzled over the complex labyrinth of paperwork involved in shippi...
What is DAP in International Trade?
In the dynamic landscape of international trade, shipping terms serve as the bedrock of clarity and understanding. Just ...
Incoterms 2026 Explained: Complete Guide to All 11 Trade Terms
A container of automotive parts sits at the Port of Shanghai. The buyer in Detroit assumes the seller is covering insura...
What is the Automated Manifest System (AMS)? Simple AMS Filing Guide
Automated manifest system (AMS) was created to collect shipment information formulated by U.S Customs and Border Protect...
CPT Incoterms: Carriage Paid To Explained
CPT (Carriage Paid To) is an Incoterms 2020 rule where the seller pays freight to a named destination but risk transfers...
