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Shipping tools

Plan smarter shipments.

Free tools to understand Incoterms, choose a container, find a sailing and track your cargo.

Incoterms® 2020 explorer

Incoterms decide who pays for each part of the journey and where the risk passes from seller to buyer. Tap a term.

Any transport mode
Sea and inland waterway only
FOB

Free On Board

The seller clears export and pays all costs until the goods are on board the ship. The buyer books and pays the ocean freight.

Export customsSeller pays
Origin chargesSeller pays
Main freightBuyer pays
Destination chargesBuyer pays
Import customs & dutiesBuyer pays

▲ Risk passes to the buyer

Main freight booked by
Buyer
Insurance
Not required. The party at risk usually insures.
Tip
Very common when buying from Asia. You book the ocean freight: we can quote it, plus destination charges and delivery.

Shared: the seller pays up to the handover point, the buyer pays after it. A simple summary in our own words. The official Incoterms® 2020 rules are published by the ICC. Always write the term with a named place, for example "FOB Ningbo, Incoterms 2020".

Container guide

Inside sizes, door openings and payloads of the most common containers.

20' Standard

20GP · 1 TEU

Heavy cargo: tiles, stone, steel, machinery, drums.

Inside (L × W × H)
5,900 × 2,352 × 2,395 mm
Door (W × H)
2,340 × 2,292 mm
Volume
33.2 CBM
Max payload
28,130 kg
Source: Hapag-Lloyd

40' Standard

40GP · 2 TEU

General cargo that is not too tall.

Inside (L × W × H)
12,032 × 2,352 × 2,395 mm
Door (W × H)
2,340 × 2,292 mm
Volume
67.7 CBM
Max payload
28,750 kg
Source: Hapag-Lloyd

40' High Cube

40HC · 2 TEU

Light, bulky cargo: furniture and home goods. 30 cm taller than a standard 40'.

Inside (L × W × H)
12,032 × 2,350 × 2,700 mm
Door (W × H)
2,340 × 2,597 mm
Volume
76.3 CBM
Max payload
28,600 kg
Source: Hapag-Lloyd

45' High Cube

45HC · 2 TEU

Very light, bulky cargo. Not every route or trucker handles 45'.

Inside (L × W × H)
13,556 × 2,352 × 2,700 mm
Door (W × H)
2,340 × 2,597 mm
Volume
86 CBM
Max payload
27,700 kg
Source: Hapag-Lloyd

40' Reefer High Cube

40RH · 2 TEU

Temperature-controlled cargo: food, fruit, some chemicals.

Inside (L × W × H)
11,599 × 2,290 × 2,425 mm
Door (W × H)
2,290 × 2,557 mm
Volume
67.7 CBM
Max payload
29,580 kg
Source: Hapag-Lloyd

40' Open Top High Cube

40OT · 2 TEU

Tall cargo, or cargo loaded from above by crane. Covered with a tarpaulin.

Inside (L × W × H)
12,029 × 2,352 × 2,649 mm
Door (W × H)
2,352 × 2,570 mm
Volume
74.9 CBM
Max payload
28,250 kg
Source: Hapag-Lloyd

Example figures from Hapag-Lloyd. Real boxes vary by manufacturer and carrier.

Which container? Calculator

Enter the total volume, the weight, or both. We suggest the fewest containers that fit.

Enter the volume, the weight, or both.

Rule of thumb for real loading: about 28 CBM in a 20', 58 in a 40', 68 in a 40'HC. Weight uses cautious road limits (20,000 kg per 20', 22,000 kg per 40'); real limits depend on the country and the trucker.

Sailing finder

Pick a port of loading and a port of discharge to see the next MSC sailings.

Indicative schedule from MSC's published schedule. Subject to change. Ask us to confirm before you plan.

8 sailings found · Shanghai → New York / New Jersey

  • KUREVoyage GE645E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiFri, Nov 13Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyFri, Dec 11
  • KOWLOONVoyage GE646E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiFri, Nov 20Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyFri, Dec 18
  • MARIA YVoyage GE647E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiTue, Nov 24Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyWed, Dec 23
  • KARLSKRONAVoyage GE648E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiTue, Nov 24Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyMon, Dec 28
  • MSC MUMBAI VIIIVoyage GE649E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiTue, Dec 1Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyMon, Jan 4
  • MSC BOSPHORUSVoyage GE650E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiThu, Dec 10Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyFri, Jan 8
  • KOSTAS KVoyage GE651E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiTue, Dec 15Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyMon, Jan 18
  • MSC KALAMATA VIIVoyage GE651E · Service MSC Empire
    Departs (ETD) · ShanghaiTue, Dec 15Arrives (ETA) · New York / New JerseyMon, Jan 18
Ask for a quote on this route

Track a shipment

Shipping with MGS? Sign in to the customer portal to see every shipment, its milestones and the latest ETA.

Customer portal

Every shipment with its milestones, vessel and latest ETA.

Have an MSC bill of lading or container number?

Opens MSC's public tracking page in a new tab.

For other carriers, ask us or sign in to the portal.