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Busy, but not out of control: Your guide to braving Q4

Busy, but not out of control: Your guide to braving Q4

Sales wants to sell, operations wants certainty, and finance wants control over costs, while your shipments are still at sea. In the busiest quarter of the year, everything happens at once. This whitepaper shows what's really going on in Q4, what's fact and what's perception, and how to stay in control of your bookings.

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Busy, but not out of control: Your guide to braving Q4

Work with the world's leading companies

The key takeaways

Q4 feels full. Is it?

In Q4 it can feel like there's no space left to move goods. What's really going on is different from what you'd expect.

Same quarter, a very different rate

The average 40ft rate in December 2024 was about 2.4 times higher than a year earlier. A year later, it had roughly halved. What's behind it?

A booking in January can cost you your spring season

Chinese New Year 2027 already starts on February 6. Book spring goods in early January and they only reach Rotterdam in April.

About this whitepaper

This whitepaper is for importers who book sea freight in peak season and want to understand why Q4 plays out the way it does, what that means for rates and capacity, and what they can do about it. It draws on Cargoplot's own shipment data, historical price and volume figures, and insights from senior account executive Toby Mensink.

Option template
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Select a valid address
Option template
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Select a valid address
Option template
Option template
Select your cargo
Select a valid date
Cargo options
Calculate

Our Clients’ Stories:

Daily Retail Supply
Daily Retail Supply

From solo founder to growing business: Daily Retail Supply took its imports into its own hands

When Remon Koster started Daily Retail Supply, he did everything himself. Transport seemed complicated and slow, and every price request meant emailing and waiting. With Cargoplot, he gained direct insight into his transport costs, and with it, room to grow.

Learn more
Parvum
Parvum

How Parvum tenfolded imports and regained control with Cargoplot

Importing high-quality mobility aids independently was the key to further growth. However, unreliability and slow processing in the logistics chain formed a major obstacle. Through the partnership with Cargoplot, this ambition not only became reality, but Parvum also regained full control and speed over its supply chain.

Learn more
RIBA Furniture logo
RIBA Furniture

How RIBA Furniture Took the Leap into Importing with Cargoplot

Independently importing top-quality wood and furniture was a long-held dream for co-owner Bas van Houten. The complexity of logistics, however, was a major hurdle. Thanks to the partnership with Cargoplot, this ambition not only became a reality but also a smooth and stress-free process.

Learn more

Read the full story here

Curious what's really going on in Q4 and how to stay in control of your bookings? Request the whitepaper below and find out for yourself.

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