Shipping in Spot Market or Contract-Based?
Every importer buying ocean freight hits the same fork: lock in a rate, or stay flexible on the spot market. Six years of volatility have shown neither is automatically right — and that a "fixed" contract rarely stays fixed once surcharges, blank sailings, and carrier priorities kick in. This whitepaper breaks down how each model actually works, so you can judge which strategy fits your volume and risk tolerance before the market decides for you.
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The key insights
A "fixed" rate isn't always what it seems
Contracts lock in your base sea freight rate — but not everything that lands on your final invoice. There's a reason your "fixed" price can still move.
Signing a contract doesn't guarantee you a seat on the ship
Carriers have a legitimate way to bump your booked cargo, even with a signed agreement — and it happens more often than most importers realize.
There's a right time to sign, and a very wrong one
When you lock in a contract can matter more than how hard you negotiate it. Most importers pick the moment by instinct, not by pattern.
About this whitepaper
Ocean freight rates aren't as fixed — or as flexible — as they look. This whitepaper breaks down how spot and contract pricing actually work on the Asia–North Europe lane: what drives each one, where the real costs sit, and why carriers can still shift capacity out from under a signed contract. Built on real contract terms, market data, and Cargoplot's day-to-day experience booking this lane — not theory. Download it to know exactly what you're negotiating before your next rate conversation.
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Read the whitepaper here and know before you negotiate.