Refrigerated containers generally refer to supermarket beverage cabinets, refrigerators, cake cabinets, etc., with temperatures below 8°C. Friends engaged in global imported cold chain business have all had this confusion: clearly negotiating a sea freight of $4,000 per container, but the final total cost ends up approaching $6,000.
Imported refrigerated containers are different from ordinary dry containers. Their transportation costs are a composite system of “basic fees + temperature control premiums + risk surcharges”. A slight oversight in any link may lead to cost out-of-control.
Combined with the recent cost calculation for a client’s imported European frozen meat, let’s clarify these cost items hidden behind the sea freight to help you avoid cost traps.
I. Core transportation costs: Sea freight is just the “admission fee”
This part is the “major part” of the cost, but it is by no means a single item of sea freight. Instead, it consists of “basic freight + cold chain exclusive surcharges” with extremely strong volatility.
1. Basic sea freight: It is normal for cold chain to be 30%-50% more expensive than ordinary containers
Refrigerated containers need to occupy the ship company’s dedicated cold chain space and require continuous power supply to maintain low temperatures, so the basic freight rate itself is much higher than that of ordinary dry containers. Taking 20GP containers as an example, the sea freight for general cargo from Europe to China is about $1,600-$2,200, while the refrigerated containers used for frozen meat directly rise to $3,500-$4,500; the gap in Southeast Asian routes is more obvious, with ordinary containers costing $800-$1,200, and refrigerated containers doubling to $1,800-$2,500.
It should be noted here that the price difference is also large for different temperature control requirements: frozen meat needs a constant temperature of -18°C to -25°C, and its energy consumption cost is 20%-30% higher than that of dairy refrigerated containers with a temperature of 0°C-4°C.
2. Surcharges: Oil prices and seasons can make costs “roller coaster”
This part is the most likely to exceed the budget, and they are all “rigid expenditures” that shipping companies can increase at will:
- Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF/BRC): The refrigeration system of refrigerated containers needs to operate continuously, and fuel consumption is much higher than that of ordinary containers, so the proportion of fuel surcharge is also higher. In the third quarter of 2024, the fuel surcharge per container was about $400-$800, accounting for 15%-25% of the total freight. For example, MSC recently announced that starting from March 1, 2025, the fuel recovery fee for refrigerated goods exported to the United States will be increased, closely following the fluctuation of international oil prices.
- Peak Season Surcharge (PSS): This fee is unavoidable during festivals or harvest seasons in producing areas. For example, during the peak export season of Chilean fruits in the southern hemisphere summer, refrigerated containers shipped to the United States will be charged a peak season fee of $500 per container; two months before the Spring Festival in China, the freight rate of refrigerated containers from Europe to China directly increases by 30%-50%.
- Equipment surcharge: If high-end refrigerated containers with humidity control are used, or pre-cooling services are required, the shipping company will charge an additional equipment usage fee of $200-$500 per container, which is common when importing high-end fruits.
II. Ports and customs clearance: The most prone to “hidden costs”
Many people only calculate the cost before arrival at the port, but ignore the “time cost” of the refrigerated container staying at the port – the daily cost of a refrigerated container staying is 2-3 times that of an ordinary container.
1. Demurrage + detention: The “time assassin” of refrigerated containers
Shipping companies usually provide a free container period of 3-5 days, and the free storage period at the port is 2-3 days. Once it exceeds the time limit, the fee will double daily. 100% of imported food must undergo inspection and quarantine. If the port is congested, the demurrage alone can reach 500-1500 yuan per day, and the detention fee for refrigerated containers is even more expensive, 100-200 dollars per day.
A client imported frozen meat from France. Due to incorrect information on the certificate of origin, customs clearance was delayed for 5 days, and the demurrage + detention fee alone cost more than 8,000 RMB, which was nearly 20% more than expected.
2. Customs clearance and inspection: Compliance costs cannot be saved
This part is a fixed expenditure, but attention should be paid to “accurate declaration” to avoid additional expenses:
- Regular fees: Customs declaration fee (200-500 yuan per ticket), inspection declaration fee (300-800 yuan per ticket), and inspection service fee (500-1000 yuan) are standard. If temporary storage in a customs-supervised cold storage is required, a storage fee of 300-500 yuan per day will be added.
- Tariffs and value-added tax: This is the “major part” of the cost, but it can be saved through trade agreements. For example, using the FORM E certificate of RCEP, Thai durians can be imported duty-free; Australian dairy products can have their tariffs directly reduced to 0 with a certificate of origin. In addition, the HS code should be accurate. For example, ice cream classified under 2105.00 (with a tariff of 6%) can save thousands of dollars in taxes per container compared to being classified under 0403 (with a tariff of 10%).
III. Auxiliary costs: Seemingly small, but adding up to a surprising amount
The individual costs of these links are not high, but they add up, often accounting for 10%-15% of the total cost.
1. Packaging and operation fees: Paying for freshness preservation
Refrigerated goods need moisture-proof and shock-proof special packaging. For example, vacuum packaging of frozen meat can reduce the volume by 30%, which not only saves freight but also preserves freshness, but the packaging fee is $100-$300 per container. In addition, professional cold chain forklifts are needed for loading and unloading, and the operation fee is 50% higher than that of general goods. If the goods are afraid of bumping and need manual light placement, the fee will increase further.
2. Insurance premium: Providing protection for “perishable goods”
Once the temperature control of refrigerated goods fails, it will be a total loss, so insurance cannot be saved. Usually, insurance is taken out at 0.3%-0.8% of the goods value. For example, for $50,000 worth of frozen meat, the premium is about $150-$400. For long routes such as South America and Africa, the premium will rise to more than 1%, because the longer the transportation time, the higher the temperature control risk.
3. Domestic transportation fee: The cost of the last mile
For transportation from the port to the inland cold storage, the freight of refrigerated trucks is 40% higher than that of ordinary trucks. For example, the transportation fee for a 20GP refrigerated container from Shanghai Port to a cold storage in Suzhou is 1,500-2,000 yuan. If it is to the central and western regions, an additional 200-300 yuan per 100 kilometers will be added, and the return empty driving fee must also be included.
IV. Practical cost control skills: 3 ways to save 20% of costs
After understanding the cost composition, cost control can be done in an organized way. Here are some verified methods:
1. Choose LCL for small batches and sign long-term contracts for large batches:
When the cargo volume is less than 5 cubic meters, LCL (Less than Container Load) saves 40%-60% of the freight compared to FCL. Although the time efficiency is 5-10 days slower, it is suitable for trial orders; if the annual booking volume exceeds 50 containers, sign a long-term agreement directly with the shipping company to get a 5%-15% discount.
2. Precisely control temperature and time to reduce energy waste:
Set the minimum necessary temperature according to the characteristics of the goods. For example, bananas can be stored at 13°C, and there is no need to lower it to 0°C; connect with the customs clearance company in advance to prepare materials before arrival at the port, compress the inspection time to within 1 day, and avoid demurrage.
3. Use technology to reduce costs:
Install GPS temperature control monitoring on refrigerated containers to keep track of temperature changes in real-time, avoiding total loss due to equipment failure; use an automated warehousing system, which can reduce the operating cost of cold storage by 10%-20%.
Finally, a summary: Cost calculation should leave “flexible space”
The cost formula for imported refrigerated containers can be summarized as: (Basic sea freight + surcharges) + (Port fees + customs clearance fees) + (Packaging + insurance + domestic transportation fees) + 10% flexible budget. This 10% is crucial to deal with emergencies such as fuel price increases and customs clearance delays.
After all, the core of cold chain transportation is “freshness preservation”. Instead of being stingy with necessary costs, it is better to reduce hidden expenditures through precise planning – maintaining the quality of goods is the greatest cost saving.
Post time: Nov-12-2025 Views: