These four types of sea freight (door-to-door, port-to-port, door-to-port, and port-to-door) represent the most fundamental logistics delivery terms in sea transportation. The essential differences lie in the starting and ending points of responsibility, the included stages, the scope of costs, and the operating parties. The differences in quotations stem from the differences in the stages covered. Understanding the cost structure of each model can help avoid hidden costs and liability disputes. The following provides a clear breakdown.
I. Core Concepts and Covered Stages
The standard full sea freight chain is: Shipper’s warehouse → Domestic trucking → Port of origin terminal → Ocean shipping → Port of destination terminal → Foreign customs clearance → Foreign trucking/delivery → Consignee’s warehouse. The four modes represent different segments of this chain. 1. Port to Port (The most basic and traditional model)
Coverage: Loading at the port of origin → Unloading at the port of destination
Quotation includes: Ocean freight, port handling charges at the port of origin, documentation fees, and relevant surcharges from the shipping company
Excludes: Domestic trucking, domestic customs clearance, destination port customs clearance, destination port miscellaneous charges, overseas trucking and delivery, customs duties
Liability boundary: Responsibility transfers after the goods are delivered to the port of origin, and terminates after the goods arrive at the port of destination.
Applicable to: Traditional B2B foreign trade, where both the sender and receiver have local customs clearance and trucking resources, and prioritize transparent bare-boat freight rates.
- Door to Port
Coverage: Shipper’s warehouse → Port of destination
Quotation includes: Domestic door-to-door pickup and trucking, domestic customs clearance, and all port-to-port costs
Excludes: Destination port customs clearance, destination port miscellaneous charges, customs duties, overseas trucking and delivery to warehouse
Features: Domestic segment is all-inclusive, overseas segment is handled by the recipient, providing peace of mind domestically and autonomy overseas.
Applicable to: Shippers without a domestic trucking fleet, and consignees with overseas customs clearance and container pickup capabilities.
- Port to Door
Coverage: Port of origin → Consignee’s warehouse / designated address
Quotation includes: Port-to-port costs, destination port customs clearance, destination port miscellaneous charges, and overseas last-mile delivery
Excludes: Domestic trucking, domestic export customs clearance
Features: One-stop service for the overseas segment, while the domestic segment is handled by the shipper (delivery to port and customs clearance).
Applicable to: Overseas buyers requiring all-inclusive customs clearance and delivery, while domestic shippers arrange container loading and delivery to the port themselves.
- Door-to-Door (All-inclusive, one-stop service)
Coverage: Shipper’s warehouse → Consignee’s warehouse, one single bill of lading for the entire process
Quotation includes: Domestic container pickup and trucking, export customs clearance, ocean freight, destination port customs clearance, taxes and duties (subject to terms and conditions), overseas delivery, and all local handling fees.
Excludes: Product-specific certification fees, warehousing fees incurred due to customs inspection, out-of-area delivery fees, and other special fees.
Features: No additional handling required, freight forwarder takes full responsibility, transparent pricing, worry-free and controllable.
Suitable for: Cross-border e-commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises without overseas teams, FBA warehousing, and one-stop shipping for small packages and full containers.
II. Quick Differentiation Guide
Port-to-Port: Neither end is covered, only the sea transport.
Door-to-Port: Domestic pickup, no overseas delivery.
Port-to-Door: Domestic self-delivery, overseas delivery to the door.
Door-to-Door: Domestic pickup from the door, overseas delivery to the door, all-inclusive service.
III. Quotation Breakdown and Pitfalls to Avoid
Confirm the scope of the all-inclusive service: Clarify whether the quotation includes… THC, sealing fee, telex release fee, and destination port charges: Avoid hidden surcharges in port-to-port bare freight rates.
Customs clearance and duty responsibility: Door-to-door services are divided into DDP (Delivered Duty Paid, including customs duties) and DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid, duties payable upon delivery), with significant price differences.
Delivery scope limitations: Check if overseas delivery includes remote areas, oversized/overweight cargo, warehouse appointment fees, and stacking fees. Additional charges will apply if these are exceeded.
Surcharges for special cargo: Cargo containing batteries, magnets, chemicals, or overweight containers will incur additional surcharges, which are not included in standard quotes.
Liability points: Clearly define the responsible party and compensation limits for cargo damage, container loss, and inspections to avoid ambiguous terms.
(Note: The above information regarding timelines or costs is for reference only. Please refer to the actual situation at the time of shipment for specific details. Thank you!)
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