The Four Cost Blocks#
Every container move from an inland Guangxi factory to Haiphong carries the same four cost blocks. The Pinglu routing changes the first two; the last two are market rates.
1. Inland barge to the canal corridor#
Published Guangxi inland barge tariffs put this at $380–$470 per 40HQ from Liuzhou, $240–$310 from Nanning, $290–$360 from Baise, and $130–$170 from Guigang. The benchmark conversion is roughly $0.021 per ton-km.
2. Canal, lock and origin-port charges#
Canal and lock fees follow the published Guangxi trial tariff schedule for the 5,000 DWT class. Together with Qinzhou port handling, reference planning uses $270–$400 per 40HQ. The traditional routing instead pays $250–$340 for PRD handling — plus the long-haul trucking that preceded it.
3. Short-sea freight Qinzhou → Haiphong#
The Gulf of Tonkin hop is about 150 nautical miles. Feeder base rates of $160–$240 per 40HQ are the same ocean freight every shipper pays from Qinzhou; the canal does not discount the sea leg, it eliminates the detour that used to precede it.
4. Destination charges in Haiphong#
Terminal handling at destination runs $200–$300 per 40HQ. These are destination-port tariffs, identical on both routings.
Putting It Together#
| Cost block | Pinglu routing | Traditional routing |
|---|---|---|
| Inland leg (berth or truck) | $380 – $470 | $1,150 – $1,380 |
| Canal + origin port | $270 – $400 | $250 – $340 (PRD) |
| Short-sea freight | $160 – $240 | $160 – $240 |
| Destination THC | $200 – $300 | $200 – $300 |
| All-in per 40HQ | $1,010 – $1,410 | $1,760 – $2,260 |
Ranges are reference figures compiled from published tariffs and historical feeder rates. Actual booking rates vary with bunker adjustments and terminal conditions — always confirm a binding rate before committing cargo.