Import fee benchmark
Wharfage: how often it hits and what it costs
A port tariff charge on cargo moving across the wharf.
The short answer. In our data, 9.0% of ocean container shipments into US ports were charged wharfage. When it was charged, the median bill was $110 per shipment. The middle half of bills ran from $110 to $110, and 1 in 10 was over $220.
Shipments from July 2024 to June 2026. Updated October 22, 2026.
What is wharfage?
Wharfage is a charge set in a port authority’s tariff and assessed on cargo that moves across its wharves, usually per ton or per container. Many ocean rates fold it in. When it appears as its own line, it is normally passed through at the tariff rate, so it varies by port far more than by forwarder.Wharfage by port
How often shipments at each published port were charged wharfage. Ports with too few importers are left out, and a dash means too few bills to publish a cost.
| Port or rail hub | How often | Median bill | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 55.3% | $110 | 964 |
| Houston | 34.4% | $100 | 211 |
| Port Everglades | 12.8% | — | 94 |
| Tampa | 10.3% | — | 87 |
| San Juan | 4.2% | — | 460 |
| Los Angeles | 3.1% | — | 578 |
| Long Beach | 2.2% | — | 736 |
| Chicago | under 0.7% | — | 712 |
| Omaha | under 0.9% | — | 554 |
| Minneapolis / St. Paul | under 0.9% | — | 536 |
| New York / New Jersey | under 1.5% | — | 343 |
| Savannah | under 3.4% | — | 145 |
| Seattle | under 4.1% | — | 123 |
| All ports in the data | 9.0% | $110 | 8,298 |
How to avoid wharfage
- Ask whether your quote includes wharfage and other port tariff charges, or lists them separately.
Questions
What is wharfage?
A port tariff charge on cargo moving across the wharf. Wharfage is a charge set in a port authority's tariff and assessed on cargo that moves across its wharves, usually per ton or per container. Many ocean rates fold it in. When it appears as its own line, it is normally passed through at the tariff rate, so it varies by port far more than by forwarder.
How often do importers pay wharfage?
In our data, 9.0% of ocean container shipments into US ports were charged wharfage at least once (95% range 8.4% to 9.7%).
How much does wharfage cost?
When it was charged, the median wharfage bill was $110 per shipment. Half of all bills fell between $110 and $110, and 1 in 10 was over $220.
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