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Ocean Rates: Use the October 22 Assessment as a Benchmark

Drewry’s October 22 assessment placed Shanghai‒Los Angeles at $8,007 per 40-foot container, up 2% week over week, and Shanghai‒New York at $10,166, up 1%. These are route-specific benchmarks.

Use the figures to frame a discussion with your provider. Ask for a shipment quotation that identifies the origin, destination, service, validity period, and included charges. Keep forecasts separate from the price and sailing actually offered.

Compare the same shipment

A useful comparison starts with one cargo file. Give each provider the same packed dimensions, gross weight, quantities, pickup location, and delivery address. Include any handling needs known at the time.

Then identify what each price covers. A port-to-port container figure and a delivered quotation answer different purchasing questions. Before choosing the cheaper option, establish which additional arrangements you would still need to procure.

Keep the comparison attached to the quotation. If the cargo or destination changes, request an updated scope rather than assuming the earlier price remains comparable.

U.S. Parcel Costs: Check the Service and Charging Window

FedEx’s U.S. domestic demand-surcharge schedule, published July 22, lists an October 26 start for selected parcel services. This is an execution reminder for the week following this report, rather than a new announcement made October 19‒25.

The schedule distinguishes services and application periods. Review the actual service and account terms before applying a published charge to your budget. Do not extend a parcel rule to every palletized or truck-delivered shipment.

For imported inventory, record the international transport budget separately from the U.S. distribution budget. If a warehouse will dispatch individual customer orders, ask which outbound service the estimate assumes and whether the applicable seasonal charges are included.

For Amazon inventory, first identify the delivery method. A replenishment load delivered by truck should not automatically receive the same cost assumptions as individual residential parcels. Match the budget to the proposed movement.

The relevant last-mile delivery arrangements should identify the destination type, handling scope, and receiving requirements. Resolve those details before treating a quote as a complete delivery budget.

Need to clarify the delivery scope or compare available arrangements?

Discuss Your Delivery Requirements

Chassis Imports: Existing AD/CVD Orders Remain

On October 21, the USITC announced affirmative sunset-review determinations covering chassis and subassemblies from China. As a result, the existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders remain in place.

This is a product-specific development. The announcement does not establish one new duty rate for every exporter, and it does not demonstrate that U.S. trucking prices will increase.

If your purchase involves potentially covered equipment, obtain a product-scope review before relying on a landed-cost estimate. Supply the broker with specifications, manufacturer information, and the transaction documents needed to assess the shipment.

Keep that review separate from a general freight quotation. A transport provider’s price cannot resolve an uncertain trade-remedy classification. Ask which points have been confirmed and which still require a determination.

Importer Verification: An Established Check Before Booking

This section provides background relevant to current shipment preparation.

CBP’s August 19 notice set September 18, 2026, as the start of enhanced Form 5106 enforcement, including immediate voiding of importer numbers associated with inaccurate or incomplete information. Check the importer’s identity and contact records before the next entry.

Executive Order 14411, signed June 3, separately directs action involving importer eligibility, bonding, and CTPAT. Its directions should not be presented as proof that every related restriction is already operational. Ask for the applicable implementing rule or guidance when a provider proposes a different importer arrangement.

The existing Importer of Record guide provides the broader explanation. For this week’s booking review, keep the questions specific:

• Who is the named importer, and has that party authorized the shipment?
• Which broker will file the entry?
• Which identity, authorization, and bond checks remain outstanding?
• Who will receive notices and retain the entry records?

A clear answer should identify the responsible party and supporting documentation. An informal assurance that “an importer is available” leaves important questions unresolved.

Turn the Weekly Signals Into a Booking Checklist

Before approving the next shipment, bring the commercial and operational information together:

1. Standardize the cargo file. Confirm the packed measurements, weight, quantities, product details, and destination.
2. Make quotations comparable. Record routing, scope, validity, exclusions, and unconfirmed items.
3. Refresh the delivery budget. Identify the U.S. distribution service and relevant shipping window.
4. Resolve product-specific questions. Complete any necessary scope or agency review before relying on the tax estimate.
5. Confirm responsibilities. Name the importer, broker, transport contacts, and person handling exceptions.

Mark each unresolved item with an owner and the information needed to close it. A booking decision is easier to assess when the remaining uncertainty is visible.

Frequently Asked Questions