Seaport fee benchmark
Import container fees at the Port of Seattle
What ocean containers discharged at the Port of Seattle were charged beyond freight: 123 shipments from 10–19 importers, July 2024 to June 2026.
The short answer. Freight Benchmarks found that 35.5% of 123 US import container shipments discharged at the Port of Seattle and first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026 paid at least one delay fee (demurrage, per diem, storage or chassis extra days; 95% range 26.8% to 45.1%), higher than the 34.8% across all published ports. Counting every shipment, including those that paid nothing extra, accessorial charges averaged $250 per shipment, higher than the $174 average across all published ports.
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One shipment’s total for this fee, as billed. Shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026.
To check a bill, compare each fee with the table of every fee at Seattle on this page, or with the national fee table.
Cite this figure: Share of US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle that paid at least one delay fee
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Share of US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle that paid at least one delay fee: 35.5%. Share of 123 US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle; 95% range 26.8% to 45.1%. Shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/ports/seattle/#fig-ports-seattle-any-delay-fee-incidence-pct (CC BY 4.0)
Credit and link, required by the license:
Source: <a href="https://freightbenchmarks.com/ports/seattle/#fig-ports-seattle-any-delay-fee-incidence-pct">Freight Benchmarks</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a>)Cite this figure: Average extra fees per shipment at the Port of Seattle
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Average extra fees per shipment at the Port of Seattle: $250. Average per shipment over all 123 US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle, including those that paid none. Shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/ports/seattle/#fig-ports-seattle-expected-accessorial-usd (CC BY 4.0)
Credit and link, required by the license:
Source: <a href="https://freightbenchmarks.com/ports/seattle/#fig-ports-seattle-expected-accessorial-usd">Freight Benchmarks</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a>)Cite this figure: Share of US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle with any extra fee
Freight Benchmarks (2026). Share of US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle with any extra fee: 48.0%. Share of 123 US import container shipments at the Port of Seattle. Shipments first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026; data version 2026-10-22. https://freightbenchmarks.com/ports/seattle/#fig-ports-seattle-share-with-any-accessorial-pct (CC BY 4.0)
Credit and link, required by the license:
Source: <a href="https://freightbenchmarks.com/ports/seattle/#fig-ports-seattle-share-with-any-accessorial-pct">Freight Benchmarks</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a>)Per container. In Freight Benchmarks' invoice data, shipments at Seattle that carried a single container paid an average of $156 in extra fees per container (all ports: $151), and 33.6% paid at least one delay fee. Every fee per container.
What importers pay most often at Seattle
- Storage: 5.2% of shipments, against 9.5% across all ports.
Seattle against the other ports
Share of shipments that paid demurrage, per diem, storage or chassis extra days
Dashed rule: all ports, 34.8%.
Every fee at Seattle
| Fee | How often | All ports | Median bill | Middle half | 1 in 10 pay over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port, carrier and customs fees Share of all ocean container shipments. | |||||
| Demurrage | under 4.1% | 2.4% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Per diem (detention) | under 4.1% | 3.7% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Storage | 5.2% | 9.5% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Customs exam | under 4.1% | 0.5% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Port congestion surcharge | under 4.1% | 1.1% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Wharfage | under 4.1% | 9.0% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Trucking (drayage) fees Share of shipments whose final trucking was billed on the same invoices. | |||||
| Chassis rental | not published | 79.2% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Chassis split | not published | 29.0% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Chassis extra days | not published | 37.5% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Pre-pull | not published | — | too few bills at this port | ||
| Driver waiting time | not published | 5.6% | too few bills at this port | ||
| Overweight | not published | 4.1% | too few bills at this port | ||
Questions
How often do import containers at Seattle pay delay fees?
Freight Benchmarks found that 35.5% of 123 US import container shipments discharged at the Port of Seattle and first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026 paid at least one delay fee (demurrage, per diem, storage or chassis extra days; 95% range 26.8% to 45.1%), higher than the 34.8% across all published ports.
How common is demurrage at Seattle?
Freight Benchmarks found that under 4.1% of 123 US import container shipments discharged at the Port of Seattle and first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026 paid demurrage. Fewer than 5 shipments paid it, too few to publish an exact rate. Across all published ports, the share was 2.4%.
How much extra does importing through Seattle cost?
In Freight Benchmarks' invoice data for US import container shipments discharged at the Port of Seattle and first invoiced July 2024 to June 2026, accessorial charges averaged $250 per shipment, higher than the $174 average across all published ports, counting shipments that paid nothing extra.
Questions about importing through Seattle
43.6% Shipments with at least one extra charge
Why is my freight bill higher than my quote?Charges that happen after the container lands, such as chassis days, storage and delay fees, are billed later and are rarely priced in the quote.
$174 Average extra charges per shipment
How much does an import container cost after it lands?Beyond the ocean rate, budget for delivery, customs clearance and duties, plus extra charges that vary widely by port.
$35 Lowest average extra charges: San Juan
Which US port has the lowest container import fees?Ports where containers wait less and trucking is simpler cost less after arrival, but a low-fee port only helps if it is near where your goods are going.
7.3% Lowest delay-fee share: San Juan
How do I choose a freight forwarder for my imports?Check the licenses, then judge each quote on what happens after arrival: free time, chassis days and accessorial rates at your port, in writing.
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