What it really costs to ship a container from China to the US in 2026

If you've only ever paid a freight forwarder a single all-in number, you have not seen what your money is actually buying. Here is every line on a typical ocean-freight invoice, with current 2026 numbers for a 20' and 40' container from Shanghai to Los Angeles.

The headline number

20' container (TEU): $1,400-$2,200 all-in
40' container (FEU): $2,300-$3,800 all-in
40' high-cube (HQ): $2,400-$4,000 all-in

That range is real. The same lane on the same day with the same carrier can quote 40% higher to a small shipper than to a large one. Volume and contract status are the biggest drivers.

What the invoice actually looks like

A fully-loaded 40' invoice typically itemizes:

Origin charges (paid in China)

Ocean rate / base freight — $1,600
Origin terminal handling (THC): $180-$240
Documentation fee: $35-$75
Bunker adjustment factor (BAF): $100-$300, varies weekly with fuel
Carrier security fee (ISPS): $10-$15
Optional: trucking origin to port: $200-$500 depending on inland distance

Ocean (carrier)

The base ocean rate above includes the ocean voyage itself.
General Rate Increase (GRI): carriers can announce these monthly; budget $200-$400 buffer in busy seasons.
Peak Season Surcharge (PSS): typical $300-$600 per FEU in Aug-Oct.

Destination charges (US)

Destination terminal handling (DTHC): $250-$320
Customs entry fee: $125-$200 per entry (broker fee, not duty)
Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): 0.3464% of value, min $32.71, max $634.62
Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF): 0.125% of value (no min/max)
ISF filing fee: $30-$50 (the 10+2 filing must be submitted 24h before vessel loading)
Customs exam fee, if your container is selected: $250-$400 for X-ray, $1,200-$2,500 for full intensive

Inland from port to your warehouse

Drayage (port → first warehouse): $375-$850 for a local move (within 50 mi). Inland US destinations add $2.50-$3.50 per mile.
Chassis fee: $30-$50 per day, often pooled
Pier pass: $50-$80 — California port congestion fee
Demurrage: if the container sits at the port more than the free time (4-5 days typical), $200-$500 per day after free time runs out
Detention: same, but for keeping the empty container past return time. $80-$120/day.

Duty and tax (paid to CBP)

Tariff: varies by HS code. Most apparel ~16%. Most electronics ~0%. See our landed-cost calculator for an estimate.
Section 301 China tariff: an additional 7.5%-25% on a long list of goods.

A worked example: 40' HQ from Shenzhen to Atlanta loaded with $80,000 of cotton apparel

Ocean + origin + destination handling: $3,400
Drayage Long Beach → Atlanta intermodal rail: $3,800
Customs brokerage: $200
MPF + HMF: $277 + $100 = $377
Duty (HS 6109 at 16.5% + Section 301 7.5%): $19,200
Total landed cost: $80,000 + $7,777 logistics + $19,200 duty = $106,977

The duty was 18% of total landed cost. Most importers under-budget for duty by 50% on their first cross-border order.

How to negotiate a better rate

Move at least 10 TEU per month — you're in BCO contract territory and should not pay spot rates.
Quote three carriers minimum — Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM dominate trans-Pacific; ZIM and ONE compete aggressively.
Commit to MQC (minimum quantity commitment) — gets you 10-25% off spot.
Use a freight forwarder with NVOCC license — they aggregate volume from multiple shippers and pass discounts.
Off-peak weeks save 15-25% — late Jan, late Mar, mid-Jun, mid-Sep.

How Atlas helps

We quote ocean freight against Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, ZIM, ONE, and Hapag-Lloyd in one call. Get a full breakdown (not a single all-in number you cannot verify) and a landed cost estimate before you commit. Request a quote.