In short: The seven parts of an import quote, line by line, with a worked example: 1 x 40HC FOB Ningbo to Melbourne, door delivery to Dandenong South 3175.
Importers compare quotes line by line, and the cheapest headline is rarely the cheapest landed cost. A forwarder who quotes ocean freight "plus locals" wins the enquiry and loses the customer at the first invoice. A complete FCL import quote from China to Australia has seven parts. Here they are in order, with a worked example at the end.
One line per container type (20GP, 40GP or 40HC), port of loading to port of discharge. Say whether bunker and other carrier surcharges are inside the number or listed separately. If it's a spot rate, say so: spot rates move with the carrier's rate period, and your validity date should match it.
The Incoterm decides where your quote starts. Under FOB the seller completes export formalities and risk passes once the goods are loaded on the vessel at the named port of shipment; the buyer contracts and pays for the port-to-port carriage (ICC Academy, FCA or FOB under Incoterms 2020). So on an FOB Ningbo quote, origin terminal handling and export clearance belong to the supplier and your quote starts at the ship. Under EXW you add supplier pickup, export clearance and origin terminal charges. Under CFR or CIF the supplier has already paid the freight, so you're quoting destination charges and delivery only.
ICC's own guidance is that FOB is a port-to-port rule and FCA suits containerised cargo. Importers still ask for FOB, so quote the term they used and show where your quote starts.
At Melbourne this is the carrier's destination terminal handling, the delivery order or documentation fee, and the terminal access charges that reach you through the transport operator. The ACCC reports that stevedores at Australia's five monitored container ports collected more than $642 million in terminal access charges in 2024–25, levied on transport operators for each laden container and passed on to importers and exporters (ACCC, 12 December 2025). Say whether that charge sits in your destination line or your cartage line, so it doesn't turn up unannounced on the delivery invoice.
Goods valued over AUD 1,000 need an import declaration. Your line here is your brokerage fee for lodging it, plus the government charges you pass through at cost. The Australian Border Force import processing charge is $152 for an electronic declaration on a consignment valued at $10,000 or more, and $50 between $1,000 and $10,000. The biosecurity full import declaration charge for sea cargo is $71 (ABF, import processing charge). Import conditions for the commodity are published in BICON, the Australian Government's biosecurity import conditions database. If the goods need treatment or inspection before release, that's a separate cost and the quote should say so.
Duty is the importer's, not yours, but say what you expect. ChAFTA reached full tariff elimination on Chinese-origin goods on 1 January 2019, provided the goods meet the rules of origin and the importer holds a Certificate of Origin or a Declaration of Origin (DFAT, guide to using ChAFTA). Without that paperwork the general rate applies.
Cartage is priced by zone from the wharf, so you need the delivery postcode, not just the suburb. Say what the price assumes: standard trailer or side-loader, delivery in business hours, a set amount of unpacking time before waiting time starts, and the empty back to the depot inside the carrier's free days.
Two different GST questions get confused. The first is GST on your charges. International transport of goods is GST-free from outside Australia to the place of consignment, and services supplied after that point are generally taxable (ATO, GST and international freight transport). The ATO also allows forwarders whose systems can't separate the legs to treat the port of discharge as the place of consignment and charge GST on the domestic services. Whichever treatment you use, say on the quote which lines carry GST.
The second is GST on the goods. The importer pays 10% of the value of the taxable importation, which is the customs value plus any duty plus the international transport and insurance, at clearance unless approved for GST deferral (ABF, GST and other taxes). It's not a forwarder charge: list it as an exclusion, and mention the deferred GST scheme if the importer isn't on it.
The exclusions sentence should name duty, import GST, storage, container detention, biosecurity inspection or treatment if directed, waiting time, and futile delivery.
A date, not "subject to change". Ocean freight valid to the end of the carrier's rate period, local charges for 30 days, everything subject to space and equipment at time of booking. If you quoted in USD and converted, say which rate you used.
1 x 40HC, FOB Ningbo to Melbourne, door delivery to Dandenong South VIC 3175, customs clearance required. The forwarder's lines are example rates, not a tariff; the two government charges are the published amounts above.
Ocean freight 1 x 40HC, Ningbo to Melbourne ................. AUD 2,900.00 Origin charges (FOB: supplier's account) ............................ nil Destination terminal handling & delivery order 1 x 40HC ....... AUD 780.00 Customs clearance & biosecurity lodgement (brokerage) ......... AUD 180.00 ABF import processing charge (at cost) ........................ AUD 152.00 Biosecurity full import declaration charge, sea (at cost) ...... AUD 71.00 Door delivery 1 x 40HC, Melbourne metro zone (3175) ........... AUD 560.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL ....................................................... AUD 4,643.00 GST: ocean freight is GST-free. Terminal, clearance and door delivery lines are plus GST where applicable. Government charges shown at cost. Excludes: import duty (0% expected under ChAFTA with a valid Certificate of Origin, subject to tariff classification); import GST (10% of the value of the taxable importation, paid to ABF at clearance or deferred); storage; detention after carrier free days; biosecurity inspection or treatment if directed; waiting time beyond 30 minutes; futile delivery. Valid to 30 November 2026. Subject to space and equipment at booking.
Seven lines, one total, a sentence each for GST and exclusions, one date. That's a quote an importer can compare line by line, which is what you want if your numbers are honest.
Laneworks drafts quotes in this format from your own rate sheet. Forward a real FCL request to try@getlaneworks.com and a drafted reply comes back in about two minutes, priced from a sample tariff. Send your rate sheet and every line comes from your rates.
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