Container Shipping Rates

[OMGVape]

Does anyone have recent prices for shipping 20/40ft containers UK to China?

 

[Red Wood]

Approx $10K FOB Deep water port China > door

40ft HC
Chunk of that price seems to be surcharges

 

[OMGVape]

Who’s quoting that ? My agent is quoting $13,000 just for the voyage !!

 

[Red Wood]

K&N.

It WILL get rolled though.

 

[OMGVape]

Thank you.

Rolled??

 

[Red Wood]

Rolled to the next sailing, then the next, then the next and finally, the next.

 

[OMGVape]

OK, understood. Many thanks

 

[Mike Foulds]

Does anyone have recent prices for shipping 20/40ft containers UK to China?

Hi, could I ask/check if you are after rates UK TO CHINA, or CHINA TO UK? Rates from China to UK are at extremely high levels, however, UK to China isn't as high at this time.

 

[OMGVape]

Ah, well spotted Mike.

I meant China to U.K.

 

[Mike Foulds]

Just wanted to check, as I wanted to ensure you were receiving correct information.

As others have mentioned, freight rates from China to UK are (for a 40ft container), anything from about USD 8500 to USD 14000, with different availabilities on space/equipment and chances of the cargo happening as planned.

We are reading in trade publications as well, that lines are currently accepting additional bookings, to give them room to "slide" bookings by a week, to ensure vessels remain full even over the Chinese New Year period.

Hope that helps.

 

[OMGVape]

Thanks Mike.

 

[Mr D]

Did hear from one supplier that he can get a little cheaper delivered to EU port then transported by lorry to his warehouse. Not a large saving and of course extends time by a fair bit - but he was factoring getting the product before running out of stock.

 

[Red Wood]

We are reading in trade publications as well, that lines are currently accepting additional bookings, to give them room to "slide" bookings by a week, to ensure vessels remain full even over the Chinese New Year period.

Hope that helps.

This is not correct, sailings are 75% full AT BEST.

 

[kevin.doran]

Any chatter about prices coming down yet?

I know the initial thought was after CNY but most seem to have gone quiet on that now.

Our next shipment is due to leave April so I'm really hoping it's started to drop by then.

 

[OMGVape]

Any chatter about prices coming down yet?

I know the initial thought was after CNY but most seem to have gone quiet on that now.

Our next shipment is due to leave April so I'm really hoping it's started to drop by then.

My U.K. agent just quoted $6200 for a 20ft but my factory today have quoted $4575 (just for the voyage).

 

[Red Wood]

My U.K. agent just quoted $6200 for a 20ft but my factory today have quoted $4575 (just for the voyage).

I hate myself for this, but $6200 is decent in current climate. Is that FOB > Door?

Any chatter about prices coming down yet?

I know the initial thought was after CNY but most seem to have gone quiet on that now.

It seems this hasn't materialised like we all hoped. The ship owners are still price gouging. I think it's going to continue until lobby from either governments or trading bodies start to stamp their feet.

 

[WaveJumper]

You would think with all those long haul jets sitting around doing nothing there would be a huge demand for air freight ...... but what do I know

 

[MurphyM22]

We've just paid $13,500 40ftHQ FOB China-UK - freight only, ex-other costs. Crazy prices. If there is a backlog after CNY, can't see pricing coming down that much until summer and maybe after lockdowns lift a bit, and people start booking hols etc again.

 

[GraemeL]

Freight rates dont really matter if you pass the cost on to your customer.

 

[Red Wood]

You would think with all those long haul jets sitting around doing nothing there would be a huge demand for air freight ...... but what do I know

Solid point.

 

[commadus]

Whats causing the price spike? Is it temporary?

 

[Red Wood]

Whats causing the price spike? Is it temporary?

Temporary, most definitely, but trying to define how long temporary is will be difficult. I can't see it getting better quickly. We are certainly a long time away from rates as we used to know them as shippers have now realised just how far they can push rates.

They are one of the biggest pricing cartels after OPEC.

 

[John_V85]

K&N.

It WILL get rolled though.

@Red Wood Is that a preferred rate? We are getting quotes from K+N of ~£10K GBP (not USD) for a 40'/40HC (makes no difference) FOB to door from China to UK. Freight element is ~$12K USD. Thanks.

 

[Red Wood]

Its all going to depends on volume and how many TEU you will move annually.

 

[John_V85]

Its all going to depends on volume and how many TEU you will move annually.

Would you be able to give a rough indication of the CBM/TEU you send annually? Going to discuss this with our account manager, but would be helpful to have some anonymous data points.

 

[Red Wood]

30+ TEU's p/a
Multi-Month LCL's.

The big shippers (Supermarkets, Electrical Wholesale Groups, etc), DHL & K+L are not passing on the costs to their customers, they are taking the hit.. Interesting eh

 

[John_V85]

@Red Wood Thanks.

 

[samuel5]

It does not make any sense to me but we are finding LCL cheaper than FCL at the moment, how does that work out?

 

[Red Wood]

It does not make any sense to me but we are finding LCL cheaper than FCL at the moment, how does that work out?

Are you including congestion fees when landed at port our side?

Our LCL cube rate has remained unchanged, it's the congestion charges and additional port fees on top that are killing it.

 

[Larry Fong]

The shipping costs from China have eased a little bit but it is difficult to tell what will happen next.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Anecdotally, we've found rates drifting down a bit and - more importantly - our last few containers have not been rolled (we even got one on at very short notice).

We ship about 40-50 40ft HQs per month.

 

[Felixkoch2312]

Freight rates dont really matter if you pass the cost on to your customer.

That thing requires good convince power!

 

[OMGVape]

Been quoted yesterday, FOB, ocean charge only, 20ft - $4000, 40ft - $8000

Freight rates dont really matter if you pass the cost on to your customer.

Passing these costs on to customers is a great idea, but only if you live in the twilight zone where you don’t have competition.

 

[Mr D]

That thing requires good convince power!

Or simply adding the price on to people who are willing to pay.

Same way businesses add on all their other costs to the pricing. Can keep pricing the same and reduce profits for a while perhaps but at some point have to increase prices or make a loss from sales.

 

[Red Wood]

Anecdotally, we've found rates drifting down a bit and - more importantly - our last few containers have not been rolled (we even got one on at very short notice).

We ship about 40-50 40ft HQs per month.

Was that correct, 80-100 TEU's per month? If so, I'm guessing you probably don't pay the same as the rest of us as they are more keen to keep your business.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Was that correct, 80-100 TEU's per month? If so, I'm guessing you probably don't pay the same as the rest of us as they are more keen to keep your business.

Yes, and much as I'd love to say we get special rates we got hammered as much as everyone else! Had 9 containers arrive last week which was the best part of £100k.

I'm exploring options with other forwarders to see if we can get better rates, but the good thing with this sort of volume is it means you're less likely to have containers rolled - though that was definitely happening back in Nov / Dec.

The ability to defer VAT / duty has made a big difference to cash flow.

 

[Red Wood]

Yes, and much as I'd love to say we get special rates we got hammered as much as everyone else! Had 9 containers arrive last week which was the best part of £100k.

I'm exploring options with other forwarders to see if we can get better rates, but the good thing with this sort of volume is it means you're less likely to have containers rolled - though that was definitely happening back in Nov / Dec.

The ability to defer VAT / duty has made a big difference to cash flow.

That is some SERIOUS volume. I'm in awe. What sector are you in?

How long does it take you to tip a 40ft, I bet you've got it down to a fine art!

 

[Guy Incognito]

That is some SERIOUS volume. I'm in awe. What sector are you in?

How long does it take you to tip a 40ft, I bet you've got it down to a fine art!

I don't want to disclose too much (got a nice little niche pretty much to ourselves at the moment!) but it's broadly homewares related.

Our stuff is bulky but we offload an HQ in about 2 - 2.5 hours. If we had a loading bay it would be a lot quicker, we'll have to get a warehouse with one when we take on our next premises later in the year.

Re: pricing, we increased prices at the turn of the year to account for increased costs throughout our manufacturing, shipping, couriers etc.

 

[samuel5]

Anecdotally, we've found rates drifting down a bit and - more importantly - our last few containers have not been rolled (we even got one on at very short notice).

We ship about 40-50 40ft HQs per month.

Wow that’s a lot of shipments to manage!
Can I ask if you use freight software to manage them all in one place?
Our current system is printed documents, looking up emails and excel sheets that is all a bit messy.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Wow that’s a lot of shipments to manage!
Can I ask if you use freight software to manage them all in one place?
Our current system is printed documents, looking up emails and excel sheets that is all a bit messy.

We don't, but we probably should - I get confused with what is in which container and when it's arriving etc. I'll look into it, there must be some solutions out there.