Understand every charge on your freight bill
Practical guides and free tools on freight costs, customs and import rules for businesses shipping to the US, UK, Europe and Australia. Researched from official sources and reviewed as the rules change.
Demurrage calculator
Enter your free days and the carrier’s daily rates. See exactly what each rate tier adds, then get the breakdown as a PDF by email.
- Handles tiered rates, e.g. days 1–5, 6–10 and 11+
- Shows the total and what each tier costs you
- Free, and no sign-up needed to see the result
Guides
All articles →How do I calculate demurrage charges on a container?
The formula, a worked example, and how tiered daily rates change the total.
Read the guide →FCL vs LCL: which is cheaper for my shipment?
How each is priced, and the simple formula to find your break-even volume.
Read the guide →EXW vs FOB vs CIF vs DDP: which Incoterm should I use?
Who pays for what, where risk passes, and the safest choice for importers.
Read the guide →How is import duty calculated?
CIF vs FOB value, VAT and GST on top, with US and UK worked examples.
Read the guide →What documents do I need to import goods into the US?
Invoice, ISF, entry forms, customs bond and agency permits, plus 2026 changes.
Read the guide →How do I import goods into the UK?
EORI, commodity codes, CDS declarations and postponed VAT accounting, step by step.
Read the guide →Why importers use Cargo Basics
Built around decisions
Every guide ends with clear next steps: what to check, what to ask your forwarder and what to avoid.
Official sources
Rules come from the authorities that set them, such as CBP, HMRC, the ICC and the WCO. Sources are listed on every guide.
Kept current
Guides are reviewed when rules change, including the 2026 tariff and low-value import changes.
Afzal Jamil
Editor, Cargo Basics
Afzal researches freight costs, customs rules and trade policy changes, and turns them into guides importers can act on.