The Manifest
Freight, read between the lines.
Rate trends, customs changes, and routing intelligence from the operators who book your freight.
Subscribe
Latest
82 articles
Ocean
20FR vs 40FR: which flat rack container fits your oversized cargo?
Flat rack containers exist because your cargo has already ruled out a standard box — but picking between a 20FR and a 40FR still comes down to length and weight distribution, not habit. This guide compares the specs, the deck math, and when each size actually fits.
Holo Cargo Operations·Sep 27, 2026·7 min
Rates & Markets
GRI vs PSS: how do these two ocean freight surcharges differ?
GRI and PSS often show up in the same carrier bulletin, sometimes in the same week, and shippers routinely treat them as one thing. They aren't. This guide breaks down what each one actually changes on your quote, why they can stack, and how to plan a budget that survives both.
Holo Cargo Operations·Sep 23, 2026·7 min
Air
What Is AFR (Air Freight Rate) and How Is It Calculated?
AFR — the Air Freight Rate — is the single largest line item on most air cargo quotes, yet it's also the most misunderstood. This guide explains exactly what AFR covers, how it's calculated against chargeable weight, why it moves between quotes, and how it fits alongside FSC, SSC, and other surcharges.
Holo Cargo Operations·Sep 22, 2026·6 min
Customs
How Import Duties and Taxes Are Calculated (Step by Step)
Every import duty bill traces back to three inputs — the tariff classification, the customs value, and the country of origin — applied by customs at entry, not by a freight forwarder in advance. This guide walks through each step of that calculation, where taxes stack on top, and why no quote can price it before filing.
Holo Cargo Operations·Sep 21, 2026·8 min
Rates & Markets
What Happens After You Accept a Freight Quote: Step by Step
Clicking "accept" on a freight quote isn't the end of the process — it's the start of a sequence of confirmations, documents, and cutoffs that determines whether your cargo moves on schedule. Here's exactly what happens next, step by step, and which numbers are locked for good.
Holo Cargo Operations·Sep 20, 2026·7 min
Customs
FOB vs CIF: who pays for ocean freight and insurance under each term?
FOB and CIF both show up constantly on ocean freight purchase orders, and both get treated as interchangeable when they aren't. The real split is who books and pays for the main freight leg, who buys the cargo insurance, and how much that insurance actually covers. Here's how the two terms divide those costs.
Holo Cargo Operations·Sep 18, 2026·7 min
From the desk
Ocean40HC vs 45HC containers: how to decide which fits your cargoHolo Cargo OperationsSep 177 minOceanNVOCC vs freight forwarder: what's the difference, and does it matter to you?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 167 minOceanMaster Bill of Lading vs House Bill of Lading: The DifferenceHolo Cargo OperationsSep 156 minRates & MarketsMultimodal vs Intermodal Shipping: What's the Actual Difference?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 148 minRates & MarketsHow to Choose a Freight Forwarder: What Actually MattersHolo Cargo OperationsSep 136 minOceanHow to Avoid Detention Charges: Return Containers On TimeHolo Cargo OperationsSep 126 minCustomsCustoms Clearance Status Explained: Clearing vs. ReleasedHolo Cargo OperationsSep 117 minOceanHow to Amend a Bill of Lading After It's Issued: A Complete GuideHolo Cargo OperationsSep 107 minOcean20RF vs 40RF: which reefer container size fits your cargo?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 97 minRates & MarketsDoor-to-Port vs Port-to-Door: Which Move Type Fits You?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 86 minCustomsCustoms broker vs freight forwarder: what's the difference?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 77 minCustomsCertificate of origin explained: what it is and when you need oneHolo Cargo OperationsSep 67 minInside Holo CargoWhat does cargo insurance actually cover (and what's excluded)?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 46 minCustomsWhat is a customs exam fee, and why do some shipments get charged one?Holo Cargo OperationsSep 36 minOceanWhat is drayage, and why does it show up as a separate charge on your quote?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 307 minOceanTelex Release Explained: Cargo Release Without an Original B/LHolo Cargo OperationsAug 297 minCustomsCIF vs CIP: what's the difference, and which covers your cargo better?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 286 minCustomsCommercial invoice vs packing list: the difference, explainedHolo Cargo OperationsAug 276 minOceanThe 9 IMDG Hazard Classes Explained (and What They Cost You)Holo Cargo OperationsAug 257 minCustomsDAP vs DDP vs DDU: who pays duty and delivery costs under each term?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 236 minRates & MarketsLCL vs Air Freight: Which Is Cheaper for Small Shipments?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 217 minRates & MarketsSpot Rate vs Contract Rate for Ocean Freight: Which to Use?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 207 minAirWhat Is an AWB Fee? Why Every Air Freight Quote Includes OneHolo Cargo OperationsAug 177 minOceanHow Many Free Days Do You Get Before Demurrage Charges Start?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 167 minRates & MarketsWhat Is Rail Freight? When It Makes Sense for Inland CargoHolo Cargo OperationsAug 157 minRates & MarketsHow LCL Freight Is Priced: CBM vs Weight, Whichever Is GreaterHolo Cargo OperationsAug 146 minCustomsWhat is a CBF (customs brokerage fee), and what does it actually cover?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 136 minAirWhat Is SSC (Security Surcharge) on an Air Freight Quote?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 117 minOcean20ft vs 40ft container: which size actually fits your shipment?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 107 minOceanWhat is a BL fee, and why does every ocean quote include one?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 97 minRates & MarketsWhat Is FSC (Fuel Surcharge) in Air Freight, and Why It ChangesHolo Cargo OperationsAug 66 minRates & MarketsWhat information do you need to get an accurate freight quote?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 58 minRates & MarketsMultimodal Shipping Explained: When It Beats a Single ModeHolo Cargo OperationsAug 46 minCustomsFOB vs EXW: which Incoterm shifts more shipping risk to you?Holo Cargo OperationsAug 38 minOceanContainer Max Payload: What Happens When Cargo Exceeds the LimitHolo Cargo OperationsAug 27 minOceanStorage vs Demurrage: Two Charges Shippers Often ConfuseHolo Cargo OperationsJul 296 minRates & MarketsWhy Your Freight Quote Changed After Booking (And What Didn't)Holo Cargo OperationsJul 277 minOceanFreight Consolidation (Co-Loading): When It Saves MoneyHolo Cargo OperationsJul 266 minCustomsWhat Is DDP Shipping? Delivered Duty Paid ExplainedHolo Cargo OperationsJul 257 minAirHow to Track an Air Freight Shipment Without Chasing Your ForwarderHolo Cargo OperationsJul 247 minRates & MarketsRoad vs Rail Freight: Choosing the Right Inland Transport ModeHolo Cargo OperationsJul 238 minOceanWhat Is a CFS (Container Freight Station) and What It CostsHolo Cargo OperationsJul 227 minOceanWhat is project cargo? Breakbulk, oversized, and RoRo freight explainedHolo Cargo OperationsJul 218 minAirHow to Read an Air Freight Quote (Every Line Item Explained)Holo Cargo OperationsJul 207 minRates & MarketsAWB vs bill of lading: what's the difference and when each appliesHolo Cargo OperationsJul 197 minCustomsHow long does customs clearance actually take?Holo Cargo OperationsJul 187 minInside Holo CargoCargo Insurance: Do You Actually Need It for Your Shipment?Holo Cargo OperationsJul 176 minRates & MarketsHow to Compare Two Freight Quotes That Look Nothing AlikeHolo Cargo OperationsJul 167 minRates & MarketsDoor-to-Door vs Port-to-Port: Which Shipping Term Fits You?Holo Cargo OperationsJul 157 minCustomsCustoms bonds explained: what they are and when you need oneHolo Cargo OperationsJul 148 minRates & MarketsWhat Landed Cost Really Includes (And What Quotes Leave Out)Holo Cargo OperationsJul 137 minRates & MarketsGRI explained: what a general rate increase means for your budgetHolo Cargo OperationsJul 127 minOceanHow to Track an Ocean Shipment (Without Chasing Anyone)Holo Cargo OperationsJul 118 minOceanOpen Top vs Flat Rack Containers: Which Fits Your Oversized CargoHolo Cargo OperationsJul 107 minOceanVGM (Verified Gross Mass): What It Is and Why Carriers Require ItHolo Cargo OperationsJul 97 minRates & MarketsFreight Forwarder vs Booking Direct with the Carrier: Which WinsHolo Cargo OperationsJul 87 minCustomsHow to Find the Right HS Code for Your Imports: A Practical GuideHolo Cargo OperationsJul 77 minRates & MarketsFreight Invoice Line Items Explained (And How to Check Them)Holo Cargo OperationsJul 67 minOceanThe Bill of Lading, Explained: Types, and Why the Details MatterHolo Cargo OperationsJul 57 minRates & MarketsHow Long Should a Freight Quote Take? Timelines by ModeHolo Cargo OperationsJul 46 minRates & MarketsWhat Is THC (Terminal Handling Charge) and Who Pays It?Holo Cargo OperationsJul 37 minRates & MarketsRail vs Ocean on the China–Europe CorridorHolo Cargo OperationsJun 259 minOceanDangerous Goods Shipping: Classes, Documents & SurchargesHolo Cargo OperationsJun 247 minAirChargeable Weight in Air Freight, Explained with ExamplesHolo Cargo OperationsJun 237 minOceanHow to Ship Reefer Cargo: Temperature-Controlled Freight GuideHolo Cargo OperationsJun 228 minOceanRolled Cargo Explained: Why It Happens and How to Avoid ItHolo Cargo OperationsJun 218 minCustomsWhy Cargo Gets Held at Customs — and How to Prevent ItHolo Cargo OperationsJun 208 minCustomsISF (10+2) Filing: What US Ocean Importers Need to KnowHolo Cargo OperationsJun 198 minOceanWhat Actually Determines Your Ocean Freight Transit TimeHolo Cargo OperationsJun 188 minCustomsThe 5 Incoterms Mistakes That Cost Importers MoneyHolo Cargo OperationsJun 178 minRates & MarketsAir vs Ocean Freight: When Paying for Air Actually Pays OffHolo Cargo OperationsJun 168 minRates & MarketsPeak Season Surcharge (PSS): Why It Appears and How to PlanHolo Cargo OperationsJun 156 minRates & MarketsBAF, CAF and Bunker Surcharges on Ocean Freight ExplainedHolo Cargo OperationsJun 137 minOceanFCL vs LCL: The Real Cost Breakpoint and How to DecideHolo Cargo OperationsJun 127 minOceanDemurrage vs Detention: What They Are and How to Avoid ThemHolo Cargo OperationsJun 117 minRates & MarketsHow to Read an Ocean Freight Quote (Every Line Item Explained)Holo Cargo OperationsJun 118 min
The Manifest · Weekly
The freight week in five minutes.
Rates, disruptions, and one chart worth your time. Every Tuesday. No fluff, unsubscribe anytime.