What costs do I need to plan for when sending a shipment?

If you order our service “Turnkey Delivery” or “Supply Budget,” we will calculate the exact amount payable, including all costs.
In any case, you should consider and plan for the following expense items:

If the supply terms (contract with the supplier) do not include customs clearance services for your goods in Thailand, you should plan for payment to a customs broker/agent.
If the supply terms (contract with the supplier) do not include cargo handling services at the terminal in the port or airport of Thailand, plan for “Terminal Cargo Handling” fees.
Air freight or sea container shipping.
Line charges in case of sea shipping.
Upon arrival of the goods from Thailand to Russia, be prepared to pay for terminal handling at the port or airport.
If your goods require special handling (temperature-sensitive, plants, medicines, etc.), plan for payment to VNIIKR (quarantine inspection) and other agencies.
If your goods are subject to excise duties, plan for proper registration (IN ADVANCE).
Prepare the necessary documentation for the goods (translations, product descriptions, and other documents).
Obtain a Declaration of Conformity, certificates, licenses, and other required permits for the goods (IN ADVANCE).
In all cases, plan for warehouse storage fees at the temporary storage warehouse (TSW) — especially if you’re not confident in your customs broker.
If using a reefer container, plan for charges related to connection and electricity (in all ports, including transshipment points).
In all cases, plan to pay import duties and VAT (IN ADVANCE with a margin for exchange rate fluctuations).
Plan for payment of customs broker services.
We recommend budgeting for additional expenses related to customs inspection.
Plan to pay for the delivery of your goods from the TSW warehouse in Russia.
Other additional and accompanying expenses.

Let’s go over some of the points as an example.
Item #1: Suppose you decided to buy A4 paper in Thailand, contacted a legitimate factory (you verified the supplier), and agreed on FOB INCOTERMS terms. The FOB price in Thailand often does not include customs clearance, only delivery to the port. So plan around 200 USD for broker services in advance.
Item #2: When negotiating with the supplier, clarify what additional port/airport cargo handling charges may apply. These are usually minor but depend on the specific goods, shipment volume, and terminal. Rates range from 1 to 4 baht/kg for small shipments. A container can cost anywhere from 40 USD to 250 USD. Don’t forget you’ll pay at both the departure and arrival terminals.
Item #3: Delivery costs depend heavily on the volume and weight of the cargo. If shipping by air, be aware that chargeable weight may differ from physical weight. Airlines charge for the higher of the two. If volumetric weight is 140 kg and actual weight is 80 kg — you’ll be billed for 140 kg!
Item #4: Carriers (container lines or airlines) often don’t include surcharges such as fuel surcharge or winter surcharge in the base tariff. These charges vary depending on shipment conditions and carrier.
Item #6: Additional agency fees are a mandatory cost upon arrival. VNIIKR fees range from 0.70 RUB per item to 1 RUB/kg. We recommend checking your quarantine expenses in advance if you’re importing regulated cargo (fruits, vegetables, fish, etc.).
Item #7: Excise taxes — straightforward 🙂
For example, importing alcohol into Thailand: excise duty is no less than 192 THB/bottle, customs duty minimum 30 THB/bottle, VAT 7%, plus other charges ranging from 1.5% to 10%.
Items #8–13: Not always, but with high probability: if you underdeclare the cargo value, have many mixed items, don’t pay the broker, duties, VAT, excise, or fail to prepare customs documents IN ADVANCE — your cargo will likely be held for inspection.
It’s not a big deal if everything is in order — you’ll simply pay for the inspection and handling services. Expect about 100–300 USD per container/cargo including TSW charges.
Worse if something is off — this may result in administrative fines, additional TSW storage fees, etc.

If you need help budgeting your shipment — you can order a detailed calculation from our specialists. It’s cheaper than guessing and paying extra later!