Est. 1996. One contact per shipment, every time.
Est. 1996. One contact per shipment, every time.
FREIGHT AND SHIPPING TOOLS
Free freight calculators and shipping tools from the Plexus Freight team in Portishead. Calculate UK import duty, compare air vs sea freight costs and check container sizes and dimensions before you commit to a booking. No sign-up required. B2B commercial freight only.
ALL FREIGHT TOOLS
3 free shipping tools to help UK businesses plan their imports and exports more accurately before enquiring.
Covers: Chargeable weight, sea freight rate, air freight rate, transit comparison.
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Covers: 20ft, 30ft, 40ft, 45ft and specialist container types.
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Covers: Import duty, import VAT, postponed VAT accounting.
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WHY USE THESE TOOLS
Knowing your import duty and VAT liability before your goods arrive helps you budget your landed cost accurately. Our import duty calculator gives you an indicative figure based on your commodity code, customs value and country of origin.
Choosing the wrong container type wastes money and delays your shipment. Our container sizes guide shows internal dimensions and maximum payload for every standard container type so you can confirm the right fit before enquiring.
Air freight and sea freight have very different cost profiles. Our air vs sea freight calculator gives you a side-by-side comparison based on your actual cargo details so you can make an informed mode decision before contacting our team.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The freight calculators and shipping tools on this page provide indicative estimates based on the inputs you provide. They are designed to help you plan and budget, not to replace a formal quotation from our Portishead team.
Actual import duty rates depend on the precise commodity code of your goods, the declared customs value, the country of origin and any applicable trade policy measures. Actual freight rates depend on current market conditions, sailing schedules, chargeable weight and applicable surcharges.
MOST USED TOOL
Our UK import duty calculator is the most used freight tool on this site. Enter your commodity code, the customs value of your goods and the country of origin to get an indicative UK import duty and import VAT figure before your goods arrive.
UK import duty rates are determined by the commodity code of your goods under the UK Global Tariff. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value of your goods plus the applicable duty. UK VAT-registered businesses can use postponed VAT accounting to defer import VAT to their VAT return rather than paying at the point of importation.
NEED A FIRM QUOTE
Our freight calculators and shipping tools give you a useful planning estimate. When you are ready for a firm, all-in rate covering freight, customs documentation coordination and delivery, contact our Portishead team directly. We respond to every enquiry within 1 working hour during office hours.
Common questions about our freight calculators and shipping tools.
Yes. All freight calculators and shipping tools on this page are free to use with no sign-up required. They provide indicative estimates based on your inputs. For a firm, all-in rate, contact our Portishead team directly. We respond within 1 working hour.
The import duty calculator provides an indicative estimate based on your commodity code, customs value and country of origin. Actual import duty rates depend on the precise commodity code classification, any applicable trade policy measures and current HMRC tariff rates. For a confirmed duty calculation, contact our Portishead team.
The import duty calculator covers all major import origins including China, the USA, India, the UAE and Europe. The air vs sea freight calculator covers the primary trade lanes served by Plexus Freight. The container sizes guide applies to standard container types regardless of origin or destination.
Our container sizes guide shows the internal dimensions and maximum payload for every standard container type including 20ft, 40ft and 45ft units. If your cargo is out of gauge or does not fit a standard container, contact our Portishead team directly before submitting a standard quote request.
Not always. For small, high-value consignments under 500 kg, air freight can be cost-competitive when transit time is a priority and sea freight transit is too slow. Our air vs sea freight calculator shows a side-by-side cost and transit time comparison based on your actual cargo details so you can make an informed decision.
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FROM THE PLEXUS JOURNAL
Customs updates and trade compliance, written by the Plexus team in Portishead. Practical. No jargon.
