What Are the Charging Standards for Sichuan Import Freight Forwarders? What Factors Affect the Final Price
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I am a trader engaged in imported fresh food ingredients in Chengdu, Sichuan. Since the beginning of 2026, I import 2 containers of cherries and durians from Southeast Asia every month. Previously, I used to clear customs at Shanghai Port and then transfer to domestic land transportation, which not only incurred extra transit costs, but also delayed the delivery time by 2 to 3 days, affecting the quality of fresh products.
I plan to switch to customs clearance at local Sichuan ports in the next two months. I have consulted three or four freight forwarders, and their quotations differ by almost double. Some offer a one-stop all-inclusive price, some charge separately for more than 10 items, and some even notify in advance that a budget for inspection expediting fee should be reserved.
I am not sure about the current market situation, and worry that there will be hidden costs after signing the contract. My first container will arrive at the port next week, and I am eager to calculate the total cost. I would like to ask how much Sichuan import freight forwarders charge in total, what standards the charging follows, and whether there are any pitfalls to avoid in advance?
CharlotteYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Currency Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
Most traditional Sichuan import freight forwarders adopt a charging mode of tiered markup by link: the cargo solicitation layer earns a price difference，the transit layer earns a price difference，and the customs clearance link adds extra markup. Many initial quotations deliberately omit port sundry fees，container unpacking fees，and domestic transit fees，so the final total landed cost is usually 15%-30% higher than the initial quotation. For goods with high timeliness requirements such as fresh products，temporary so-called green channel expediting fees will be charged，further pushing up unnecessary costs.
The core of cost optimization for Sichuan import is to remove multi-layer intermediate links，adopt a direct port operation mode，and clearly list all charging items in advance，leaving no room for vague charging. For importers with stable monthly cargo volume，monthly package negotiation is also available，which is 8%-12% lower than the price of separate single quotation.
For qualified imported fresh food categories，you can also apply for VAT deferred tax payment to reduce the cost of capital occupation，which is equivalent to indirectly reducing the comprehensive operating cost. This policy was implemented at Sichuan ports at the end of 2025 and has been fully rolled out in 2026. It can be applied for as long as the importer has complete qualifications and no previous violation records.
The price of Sichuan import freight forwarding services needs to be dynamically calculated according to the cargo category，container type，place of departure，and customs clearance requirements. The agency fee for full-container import of general cargo from port arrival to door-to-door delivery is roughly RMB 1200-3500 per container. Fresh products need a fast customs clearance green channel，so the fee will be RMB 500-1000 higher per container. All charges will be listed in the service contract in advance，with no hidden expenses. Stepped negotiation based on annual cargo volume is also available to dynamically adjust comprehensive cost to match the purchase rhythm of importers.
DanielYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Legal AdvisorStart a Chat
The price review link is the core node where additional costs may be incurred in import customs declaration. Sichuan ports have fixed price range parameters for price review of imported fresh products.
If the declaration of customs documents does not meet the requirements, it will lead to price review reconsideration, resulting in additional container detention fees and document modification fees, ranging from several hundred to several thousand yuan, which directly pushes up the total cost. Before import declaration, you need to sort out complete documents such as origin purchase invoices, foreign exchange payment vouchers, and certificate of origin in advance to match the price review parameter requirements of Sichuan ports, so as to avoid price review objections caused by missing documents or inconsistent declaration.
In case of price review disputes, you can obtain import price data of the same category in the same period through the integrated customs clearance channel for evidence, shorten the dispute handling cycle, and reduce unnecessary detention and container storage expenses. For imported fresh goods with stable monthly volume, you can also conduct price pre-review in advance to lock the price review result, avoid additional operation costs caused by temporary adjustment, and ensure the total cost is controllable.
WilliamYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics AdvisorStart a Chat
The selection of logistics route for Sichuan import freight will directly affect the total cost. There are three common schemes from Southeast Asia to Sichuan: direct voyage to Luzhou Port of Sichuan, transit to land transportation via Chongqing Port, and transit to land transportation via Shanghai Port, and the freight differences between different schemes are relatively large. Port transfer schemes will incur port transfer fees, container detention fees, and domestic land freight. If the port transfer connection is not smooth, there will be additional free storage period overtime fees.
For imported fresh products, the scheme of direct voyage to Luzhou Port and then transfer to domestic land transportation to Chengdu is preferred, which saves 2 to 3 days compared with transferring via Shanghai Port, and reduces the logistics cost per ton of goods by RMB 150-200. You need to lock the shipping space and container type in advance to avoid additional fees for temporary space change caused by overbooking and container rollover. Applying for 1-2 days of free storage period from the shipping company in advance can also reduce additional expenses caused by overtime.
EmilyYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Client Success AdvisorStart a Chat
Tax cost in the import link is an important part of the total cost. Many freight forwarders do not include tax cost in their quotations, so you need to clarify in advance whether the quotation includes tax agency related fees.
For qualified fresh food imports, Sichuan ports can enjoy the entry inspection and quarantine fee reduction policy in 2026, directly reducing the cost by nearly RMB 1000 per container. At the same time, the compliant operation of VAT deferred tax payment does not require pre-payment of import value-added tax, which can release the working capital of importers and reduce the capital occupation cost.
Calculated at the annualized interest rate, it can save hundreds of yuan of capital cost per container. For traders importing in batches, you can also optimize the cross-border tax structure and match Sichuan's cross-border trade support policies to reduce the overall tax expenditure and control the comprehensive cost within the expected range.
OliviaYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
The exchange rate difference in the cross-border foreign exchange payment link will also affect the comprehensive import cost. Many importers ignore the additional expenditure caused by exchange rate difference fluctuations, resulting in the actual total cost exceeding the budget. In 2026, the RMB Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) has been fully popularized at Sichuan import ports.
Using RMB for settlement can avoid exchange rate difference fluctuation risks, and at the same time enjoy the bank's foreign exchange settlement handling fee discount, saving 0.1%-0.3% of exchange rate difference cost compared with using US dollar settlement. Calculated based on the cargo value of hundreds of thousands of yuan per container, it can save hundreds to thousands of yuan per container.
Before foreign exchange payment, you need to conduct compliance verification in advance to ensure that the foreign exchange receipt and payment data are consistent with the customs declaration data, so as to avoid foreign exchange settlement delay caused by compliance problems and additional financial costs. For customers with stable monthly import, you can also lock the exchange rate in advance to lock the exchange price and avoid additional costs caused by fluctuations.
SarahYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
The fee clauses in the import freight forwarding contract need to specify all charging items to avoid disputes caused by vague expressions. The term "other sundry fees are collected according to actual occurrence" in many freight forwarder contracts is a vague clause, which can easily become the basis for arbitrary charging.
All charging items, charging standards and charging amounts should be clearly listed in the contract, and it should be agreed that if the actual cost exceeds the quotation by a certain proportion, the excess part shall be borne by the freight forwarder, so as to avoid the risk of hidden charging. For fresh food import, you also need to agree on the timeliness clause in the contract.
If cargo damage is caused by the operation delay of the freight forwarder, the corresponding responsibility and compensation should be clearly defined to avoid additional cargo damage costs. At the same time, the node of cargo right transfer should be clarified to avoid cargo right disputes caused by operation errors of the freight forwarder, resulting in unnecessary legal costs and economic losses.
EllaYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Financial AdvisorStart a Chat
Improper operation in the inspection link of imported fresh products will incur additional container unpacking fees, expediting fees, container detention fees, and even cargo damage caused by delay, pushing up the comprehensive cost. Sichuan ports have a green channel for inspection of fresh products.
Prepare corresponding documents in advance, including certificate of origin, inspection and quarantine certificate, and packing list, which can speed up the inspection and avoid additional expediting fees. Communicate with the inspection site in advance before container unpacking inspection, and arrange the cargo stacking according to requirements, so as to avoid additional container unpacking service fees caused by difficult unpacking.
If inspection is required, prepare corresponding samples in advance that meet the inspection requirements, so as to avoid secondary fees caused by re-unpacking and sampling due to unqualified samples. Standardized cooperation with inspection can control the additional costs in the inspection link to the minimum range.
SophiaYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
The packaging of imported fresh products must meet the transportation and quarantine requirements, so as to avoid additional costs of repackaging caused by unqualified packaging, which directly affects the total cost. Imported fresh products must meet the quarantine packaging requirements of Sichuan ports. Wooden packaging must have IPPC logo. If there is no logo, fumigation treatment or packaging removal is required, resulting in additional costs of hundreds to thousands of yuan.
For cold chain fresh products, the thermal insulation packaging must meet the transportation requirements. If the thermal insulation effect is not up to standard, the packaging needs to be rearranged after arrival at the port, which will also incur additional labor and material costs. Adjust the packaging scheme in advance according to the transportation cycle of the goods and port requirements to meet the compliance requirements, which can avoid additional packaging rectification costs and control the total cost within the budget range.
DavidYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business Development AdvisorStart a Chat
Compliant management of import documents will affect the subsequent cost deduction and the compliance of related businesses. If the documents are missing or do not meet the requirements, it will lead to the inability to deduct input tax, and even trigger inspection penalties, indirectly increasing the comprehensive import cost.
In the import link, you need to sort out the customs declaration form, VAT payment certificate, purchase invoice, and transportation documents to ensure that all document information is consistent and meets the inspection requirements of tax authorities and customs. In 2026, Sichuan ports have realized electronic document archiving.
Completing electronic archiving in advance can avoid additional reissue costs caused by lost documents, and also speed up the subsequent tax deduction process and reduce capital occupation. Regular document inspection to ensure consistency of four flows can avoid penalty costs caused by failed inspection and ensure the total cost is controllable.
JohnYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Export Tax Rebate AdvisorStart a Chat
Long-term import cost control needs to be optimized from the supply chain structure level, so as to continuously reduce the comprehensive cost of import freight forwarding services. For fresh food trade with stable monthly import, you can sign an annual framework agreement with the freight forwarder to get stepped preferential prices, which are lower than single inquiry prices. At the same time, you can match the inventory linkage strategy, integrate multiple small-batch orders for full container import, and dilute the agency and logistics costs per unit weight.
You can also adjust the trade terms according to market changes. If you choose FOB delivery at the port of shipment and designate a local Sichuan freight forwarder by yourself, you can avoid the markup of the freight forwarder designated by the foreign seller, reducing the agency fee by 10%-15%. Overall planning from the supply chain level can continuously reduce the comprehensive cost of import freight, which is more effective than controlling the cost of a single link separately.