Minimum Freight

Minimum Freight is the minimum freight amount that a carrier stipulates should be charged per shipment in international cargo transportation. When the freight calculated by actual weight or volume is lower than this limit, the minimum freight is still charged. It is commonly seen in sea LCL (less than container load), air freight, and express delivery, and is used to cover the carrier's fixed operating costs. Use cases include: small-volume cargo, sample shipments, light bulky cargo, etc. Notes: Minimum freight standards vary by carrier, route, and port, and the shipper needs to confirm in advance; minimum freight usually does not include surcharges (such as fuel surcharge, port congestion fee), which need to be added separately; in FCL (full container load) transportation, minimum freight generally does not apply, and a lump-sum price by container type is used instead. Difference from 'freight ton': freight ton is a billing unit, while minimum freight is a billing floor; it is similar to 'hire' but hire is mostly used in chartering. Foreign trade practitioners should consider minimum freight when quoting to avoid underestimating logistics costs.