Freight Quote Template
Professional freight quotation template with full charge breakdown — download, customize, send
Stop building freight quotes from scratch every time. This template covers ocean freight, origin charges, destination charges, and surcharges in a clean format your clients will actually read. Fill in your rates, save as PDF, done.
23
Line items included
4
Charge categories
.xlsx
Format
What's Inside the Template
Everything you need for a professional freight quotation, organized in a single spreadsheet.
Quote Header
Your company details, quote reference, date, validity period. Client details section with company, contact, email, phone, and address.
Shipment Details
Incoterms, POL/POD, container type and quantity, commodity, HS code, cargo weight and volume, ETD, transit time, DG flag, temperature requirements, stackability.
Charge Breakdown Table
23 pre-filled line items across 4 categories: ocean freight (BAF, CAF, PSS, LSS), origin charges (THC, B/L fee, customs, VGM, haulage), destination charges (THC, delivery order, customs, haulage, demurrage, detention), and additional charges (service fee, documentation).
Terms & Conditions
7 standard terms covering validity period, rate adjustments, demurrage, DG surcharges, insurance, payment terms, and duty exclusions. Customize to match your company policies.
Instructions & Rate Reference
Second sheet with step-by-step instructions, reference rates for major trade lanes (China-US, China-EU, SE Asia-US, India-EU), and a surcharge reference table with typical ranges.
All 23 Line Items — Pre-Built
Every charge your client expects to see, already structured. Just fill in your rates.
Ocean Freight
Ocean freight, BAF, CAF, PSS, LSS
Origin Charges
THC origin, B/L fee, container sealing, export customs clearance, cargo insurance, VGM fee, pickup/haulage
Destination Charges
THC destination, delivery order fee, import customs clearance, customs examination, delivery/haulage, demurrage, detention
Additional Charges
Forwarder service fee, documentation fee, communication fee, other
How to Use This Template
From download to client inbox in under 10 minutes.
Download and open in Excel
Click the download button above. Open the .xlsx file in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice Calc. All formatting is preserved.
Add your company branding
Replace the placeholder company name, address, and contact details with your own. Add your logo if needed. This section stays the same for every quote — save a branded copy as your master template.
Fill in shipment details
Enter the POL, POD, container type, commodity, and Incoterms. These determine which line items in the charge breakdown apply to this specific quote.
Enter your rates
Fill in rates and quantities for each applicable charge. Delete rows that don't apply (e.g., no PSS outside peak season, no DG surcharge for general cargo). The amount column is Rate × Quantity.
Review and send
Update subtotal, tax, and total. Customize terms if needed. Save as PDF and email to your client. Keep the Excel version for your records.
Freight Quoting Tips
Advice from ops managers who send 50+ quotes a week.
Always quote in the client's preferred currency
If your client operates in EUR, quote in EUR. Currency conversion surprises at invoice time erode trust. Lock your FX rate and state the conversion date in the quote.
Break out surcharges — don't bundle them
Clients who see a single lump-sum freight charge will shop around. Clients who see a transparent breakdown of ocean freight + BAF + THC + surcharges understand the cost structure and are less likely to price-compare on the total alone.
State what's excluded
Duties, taxes, examination fees, and storage charges beyond free time should be clearly excluded. The quote that doesn't mention exclusions is the quote that gets a surprise invoice dispute.
Set a short validity period
14 days is standard. Carrier rates change weekly. A quote valid for 30+ days is a quote you'll lose money on when the carrier adjusts rates mid-month. If the client needs more time, re-quote.
Include transit time and free days
Two quotes at the same price but different transit times are not the same quote. Always state transit time, and specify how many free days for demurrage and detention are included.