A practical, one‑container worksheet for calculating true per‑kg US landed cost on an FOB Indonesian shrimp shipment to Los Angeles. We walk through duty, MPF/HMF, insurance, ocean, drayage, chassis, cold storage, brokerage, and hold risk—plus how to allocate everything to kilograms you can actually sell.
If you’re comparing quotes or trying to set a target PO, the only number that really matters is your true landed cost per kilogram. In our experience, most misses come from hidden destination charges, misallocated fees, and wishful thinking on drayage and storage. Let’s fix that with a simple, repeatable worksheet you can use for any FOB shipment of Indonesian shrimp to Los Angeles.
We’ll use a 40’HC reefer of vannamei as the example, but the same math works for other seafood. If you’d like product specs, see our Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught).
Duty, MPF, HMF: what actually applies to Indonesian shrimp?
What’s the US duty rate for Indonesian frozen shrimp under HTS 0306.17?
For most frozen shrimp and prawn products imported to the US, the general duty rate is 0%. That includes common headings like HS 0306.17 (cooked by steaming/boiling) and 0306.16/0306.13 for raw formats, when properly classified. Indonesia is not currently subject to US antidumping duties on warmwater shrimp. Always classify to the exact 10‑digit HTS with your broker, but if you’re bringing in standard frozen vannamei or black tiger from Indonesia, you should budget 0% basic duty.
How do I calculate MPF and HMF on a $100,000 container?
- MPF (Merchandise Processing Fee): 0.3464% of the entered value with a minimum and maximum. For FY2025, min $31.67 and max $614.35. Entered value is typically the transaction value of the goods (FOB) and excludes international freight and insurance.
- HMF (Harbor Maintenance Fee): 0.125% of the entered value on ocean shipments. No cap.
Example on $100,000 entered value:
- MPF = $346.40 (well below the cap)
- HMF = $125.00
If you love calculators, this is the simplest one you’ll ever build. MPF = min(max(0.003464 × entered value, $31.67), $614.35). HMF = 0.00125 × entered value.
One‑container worksheet: FOB Indonesia to Los Angeles
Here’s a realistic, single-container example you can adjust to your numbers. We’ll assume:
- 40’ HC reefer. Net shrimp weight: 26,000 kg.
- Product cost (FOB Indonesia): $5.60/kg. Invoice value: $145,600.
- Destination: Los Angeles/Long Beach, drayage to a nearby cold store.
Line-by-line estimate:
- Ocean freight, 40’HC reefer to LA/LB: $7,800. Reefer premiums have swung in 2024–2025, but $6,500–$9,500 has been a workable planning band to USWC. Confirm weekly, especially if blank sailings spike.
- Cargo insurance for FOB: 0.4% of 110% of CIF. CIF here is FOB + ocean. 0.4% × 1.1 × ($145,600 + $7,800) ≈ $675. We recommend Institute Frozen Food Clauses and war risk when available.
- Destination D/O and terminal misc: $450. Carriers and terminals vary. Budget $300–$600.
- MPF on entered value ($145,600): 0.3464% = $505 (under the cap).
- HMF: 0.125% × $145,600 = $182.
- Customs broker entry fee: $175. ISF filing: $40. Single‑entry bond (if you don’t have a continuous bond): $100. Many importers on a steady program run a $50k continuous bond at $400–$600/yr, then prorate a per‑container share.
- LA/LB reefer drayage to cold storage (local): $950 including fuel surcharge.
- Chassis: $45/day × 2 days = $90. Expect $40–$60/day.
- Terminal appointment/TMF/PierPass type fees: $40. These change occasionally with local programs, but $35–$80 per TEU is common guidance.
- Terminal reefer plug/electricity while dwelling: $45 for a day. This can add up if there’s a hold.
- Cold storage inbound handling: $28/pallet × 20 pallets = $560.
- Cold storage short storage: $0.65/pallet/day × 20 pallets × 7 days ≈ $91. Monthly rates often run $20–$30/pallet; daily pro‑rates help you estimate.
- Exam/hold contingency: $900. You won’t pay this every box, but you should plan an expected value. A typical FDA/CBP exam scenario can generate $400–$1,500 in extra trucking, plug, and terminal handling.
Adders subtotal: $12,603.
Total landed to cold storage inbound: $145,600 + $12,603 = $158,203.
Per‑kg landed cost to cold store door: $158,203 ÷ 26,000 kg = $6.08/kg.
Reality check. If you experience 2% net loss between shipping and receipt (glaze variance, carton overpull, or trim), your saleable weight is 25,480 kg. Your effective landed cost becomes $158,203 ÷ 25,480 = $6.21/kg. We’ve seen this 1–2% delta surprise more first‑time importers than anything else.
How do I allocate ocean, drayage, and brokerage fees to get a true per‑kg landed cost?
- Allocate non‑dutiable charges by weight. Ocean, drayage, broker, and storage fees are container-level costs. Divide by your net received kilograms from cold storage receiving, not the bill of lading theoretical weight.
- Allocate duty/MPF/HMF on entered value only. Those are calculated on invoice value, but for per‑kg math, you can still spread them across received kg.
- If you transload or split containers, keep a running worksheet so each pallet release carries its proportional share.
US destination charges to budget in LA/LB
We keep a living sheet of local costs. Here’s the current guidance we give buyers comparing quotes:
- Reefer drayage within 25–35 miles: $750–$1,200 per container including fuel. Peak congestion and driver wait can push higher.
- Chassis: $40–$60/day. Two days is normal for live unload. Add gen‑set rental only if you’re on a long run or you can’t secure live plugs.
- Terminal reefer plug/electricity: $35–$60 per day. If your container is held, this line grows fast.
- Appointment/PierPass/TMF-type fees: usually $35–$80 per TEU equivalent.
- Cold storage inbound/outbound handling: $20–$35 per pallet each way. Clarify if your “landed” target includes inbound only or inbound plus the later outbound release.
- Storage: $0.50–$0.85 per pallet per day for frozen. Some facilities quote monthly blocks.
The takeaway: local legs rarely kill a deal individually, but together they add $0.18–$0.30/kg on a full 40’HC. Track them.
FOB vs CIF: which gives the cleaner landed cost?
We prefer FOB for frozen seafood. Here’s why.
- With FOB, your supplier controls what they control best: production, packing, export clearance, and origin THC. You choose ocean carrier, routing, and schedule reliability. That lets you compare real FCL reefer quotes and service levels.
- CIF can look simpler, but destination “local charges” are often opaque. We’ve seen CIF savings erased by high D/O, terminal, or handling fees at destination. If you do buy CIF, demand a detailed destination charge list in writing before booking.
Takeaway: if you’re building a repeatable landed cost model, FOB Indonesia pricing plus your own freight program is usually safer and more transparent.
What insurance percentage should I use for FOB frozen seafood?
Most importers budget 0.3%–0.5% of 110% of CIF value for cargo insurance. A common setup is 0.4% with Institute Frozen Food Clauses, plus war risk if your route warrants it. Insuring 110% gives you a cushion for recovery. And yes, the base is CIF, not just FOB.
How to factor FDA exams or port holds without padding too much
We model it as expected value across a quarter. For example, if you estimate a 20% chance of a hold that costs $1,000 in extra terminal plug, truck turns, and storage, you carry a $200 per‑box contingency. For new SKUs or new shippers, we’ve seen hold probability 15%–30% for the first one or two containers. It falls once your paperwork and patterns look consistent to the agencies. The reality is most “exam costs” aren’t government fees. They’re the downstream effects: idle reefer time, extra dray, and storage.
Practical tip: book earliest possible cutoffs and the first morning cold store appointment. It improves your odds of clearing on free time. And keep your commercial invoice HTS descriptions tight and consistent.
20’ vs 40’ reefer: why the per‑kg jumps on a 20’
A 20’ reefer might only carry 12–13 MT net. Fixed costs don’t scale down, so ocean plus drayage per‑kg can be roughly double versus a maxed 40’HC. If you’re testing a market, that’s fine. But for steady programs, the math almost always favors the 40’HC from Indonesia to USWC.
Common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them)
- Allocating by shipped weight, not received weight. Always divide by what the cold store signs for.
- Forgetting HMF/MPF. They’re small but real.
- Double-counting terminal handling. If your ocean quote is all‑in with DTHC, don’t add another terminal line without checking.
- Ignoring drayage wait time. Add a buffer. A single two‑hour wait with reefer can wipe out your savings.
- No plan for demurrage/detention. Budget at least $300–$600 expected value unless you have a well‑oiled release process.
Quick reference for 2025 planning
- Duty on Indonesian frozen shrimp (typical HTS 0306.x): 0% MFN. Confirm your exact HTS.
- MPF: 0.3464% of entered value. Min $31.67, max $614.35.
- HMF: 0.125% of entered value. Ocean only.
- LA/LB drayage local reefer: $750–$1,200. Chassis: $40–$60/day. Terminal plug: $35–$60/day.
- Cold storage handling per pallet: $20–$35 each way. Storage: $0.50–$0.85/pallet/day.
- Insurance: 0.3%–0.5% of 110% of CIF.
If you’d like this worksheet as a simple calculator you can duplicate and plug your numbers into, just Contact us on whatsapp. We’ll send you a clean template and help you tailor it to your lane. And if you’re comparing specs or building a mixed program with whitefish or tuna alongside shrimp, browse our range and View our products.
In the end, the best landed cost isn’t the lowest quote. It’s the number you can predict month after month because you control the variables: FOB Indonesia pricing, your reefer service, tight paperwork, and a local dray-plus-cold storage routine that avoids surprises. That’s the playbook we use with buyers who want consistent results.