International Container Shipping Rates 2023: Everything You Need to Know

The shipping industry transports nearly 17 million containers every day. Two-thirds of all ship transportation is used for containers.

International shipping prices can vary widely. There are no standard shipping costs. Many factors can influence the prices.

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Even the size of the container can make an impact on the prices. So, it is essential to learn the 2023 international container shipping rates well if you plan to use it soon.

What is the Current International Container Shipping Rates?

The current international container shipping rate for a 40-foot container is about $1,600. The shipping charges can vary depending on your option, distance, container volume, etc.

●       For example, if you want to ship a 20-foot container from the USA to Australia through ships, you must pay between $4600 to $16,000.

●       If you ship a 40-foot container from the USA to Australia through ships, you must pay around $7000 to $24,000.

The container shipping rates do not include insurance coverage, home delivery service, etc.

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How Can You Calculate International Container Shipping Rates?

You can calculate the international container shipping rates based on the following features.

1. Cargo Volume

The size of the cargo is critical in international container shipping rates. The containers' weight, dimensions, floor space, etc., can change the shipping rates. You will have to pay more money if you have more load.

Around sixteen different sizes of containers are used for international shipping. But the most popular ones are the 20-foot and the 40-foot.

20-Foot Containers

●       A 20-foot container is enough to hold 3BHK home contents.

●       It offers a total volume of 33 cubic meters.

●       It provides about 150ft² floor space.

40-foot Containers

●       A 40-foot container provides about double the space than a 20-foot container.

●       It is enough to transfer the contents of a home with four or more bedrooms.

●       This is a better value option as it does not cost you double than a 20-foot container.

2. Type of Transport

There are four major freight options for you to choose from.

Sea Freight

●     Sea freight is undoubtedly one of the most economical options for shipping an international container.

●     It is cheaper than air freight by about 14 times.

●     Sea freight is also the most environment-friendly shipping option.

●     Sea freight causes only a nominal amount of carbon emissions.

Air Freight

●       Air freight is the quickest way of shipping an international container

●     Air freight will only take a maximum of three days to take the container to any faraway destination.

●     When the ship takes about a month to reach another continent, flights can deliver the cargo to the same location in a couple of days.

Truck Freight

●       One of the cheapest international container shipping options.

●       This freight option is suitable for shorter destinations that need not cross an ocean.

●       This freight option is more flexible with timings.

●       They don’t need any loading or unloading charges.

●       The containers will be delivered straight to the homes.

●       Trucks have fewer travel restrictions than all other options.

Train Freight

●       Train freight is a relatively economical option to ship an international container if it does not have to cross an ocean.

●       Train freight is comparatively an environment-friendly shipping option than trucks.

●     They are the best option to prevent unforeseen traffic or weather problems.

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3. Distance to the Destination

The container shipping cost increases according to the increase in the travel distance. The average cost of shipping containers from the USA to various popular international destinations is below.

Mexico

●       20-foot container: Around $882

●       40-foot container: Around $1316

Canada

●       20-foot container: Around $1259

●       40-foot container: Around $1879

Germany

●        20-foot container: Around $1785

●       40-foot container: Around $2664

Italy

●       20-foot container: Around $1441

●       40-foot container: Around $2914

Australia

●       20-foot container: Around $2797

●       40-foot container: Around $4175

Costa Rica

●       20-foot container: Around $890

●       40-foot container: Around $1329

Colombia

●       20-foot container: Around $2114

●       40-foot container: Around $3115

Some other factors that also influence international container shipping rates are as follows.

●       Destination policies

●       Peak season rates

●       Freight associated fees

●       Taxes and duties

●      Port charges (if using ocean freight)

●       Carrier-related charges

●       Delay fees

●     Customs fees

●       Documentation fees

●       Cargo insurance

●       Destination charges

●       Zone-specific charges, etc.

Are the International Container Shipping Rates Very High?

The international container shipping rates were high during the time of COVID. The containers were difficult to transport during COVID. This was visible in the shipping prices, too. The flights and ships used to charge high rates for containers.

But now, the shipping rates have become very affordable. The shipping rates have come down by 66% from that of the pandemic time.

Also, the shipping rates vary based on the distance, volume of the container, etc. You may have to pay extra costs for insurance, packing, etc. So, the shipping costs can get high if you have a huge container to ship to a faraway place.

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