In freight forwarding, the most dangerous risks are not vessel delays or port congestion—they're the hidden costs that appear only after your cargo is already on the water.
A partner may seem transparent during the quotation stage, offer competitive rates, and communicate professionally. But once the shipment has departed, unexpected "additional charges" begin to surface, leaving you with little choice but to pay.
This real case handled by JCtrans shows exactly how one shipment of seven containers became an expensive lesson—and why every freight forwarder should take notice.
A Smooth Start That Hid a Serious Risk
A freight forwarding company in East China (Company A) secured a shipment of seven 20-foot containers destined for the Middle East and entrusted the booking to another logistics company (Company B).
At the beginning of the cooperation, everything appeared normal.
Company B responded promptly, communicated professionally, and quoted ocean freight rates that aligned with market levels. There were no unusually low prices designed to attract business, nor any obviously inflated quotations. Based on this positive experience, Company A confirmed the booking and the cargo was shipped as planned.
Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly—until the invoice arrived.
Charges Added After Shipment—Some Marked Up by Nearly 100 Times
After the cargo had already sailed, Company B issued an invoice containing numerous additional charges that had never been mentioned during the quotation stage.
Some of the fees were astonishingly inflated.
The most striking example was an operation fee of RMB 2,000 per container, while similar handling charges in the market are typically RMB 0–200 per shipment.
Other excessive charges included:
- Container detention/free-time extension fee: USD 600 per container, compared with the carrier's published rate of approximately USD 105—almost six times higher.
- Terminal Handling Charge (THC): approximately 66% above the published terminal rate.
- Booking fee: approximately 150% higher than the prevailing market level.
The biggest issue, however, was not simply the amount charged.None of these fees had been disclosed before shipment.Only after the cargo was loaded and the bill of lading had been issued did Company B inform the customer that the charges had "already taken effect" and were "non-cancellable," leaving Company A with virtually no opportunity to reject or negotiate them.
Company A attempted to resolve the matter professionally by requesting:
- Supporting invoices and documentation for every additional charge; and
- Adjustment of the fees to reasonable market levels.
Company B refused both requests, declined to provide supporting documents, offered no explanation for the pricing, and insisted that all charges be paid in full.
JCtrans Stepped In—and the Situation Escalated
Unable to reach a resolution, Company A submitted a dispute assistance request to JCtrans.
After reviewing the evidence, the JCtrans Risk Control team formally instructed Company B to either provide supporting documentation for the charges or revise the unreasonable fees. Failure to comply would result in disciplinary action against its membership.
Instead of cooperating, Company B refused to make any corrections and even threatened that, if the platform did not tolerate its pricing practices, it would further increase ocean freight rates and shift responsibility to JCtrans.
A deeper investigation revealed that this was not an isolated incident.
The company had followed a similar pattern in multiple disputes:
- Offering attractive quotations to secure business;
- Imposing excessive additional charges only after shipment;
- Bundling expensive services without customer consent;
- Refusing cancellations; and
- Responding to platform intervention with only symbolic adjustments while making no meaningful corrections.
Based on the evidence collected, JCtrans took decisive action by:
- Permanently terminating Company B's membership;
- Refusing any membership fee refund;
- Adding the company to the JCtrans blacklist to warn the industry;
- Referring the case for legal action.
Legal Support Helped Recover the Entire Loss
Although Company B had been removed from the platform, Company A had already paid the disputed charges to prevent cargo delays and ensure its overseas customer could receive the shipment on time.
Later, Company A also discovered discrepancies between the invoiced amount and the funds actually received by Company B, making the case even more complicated.
To protect its member's legitimate interests, JCtrans transferred the case to its legal support team.
The platform arranged professional legal representation and covered the related legal costs. With JCtrans's support, Company A filed a lawsuit with the maritime court, seeking recovery of its financial losses, compensation for delayed payment damages, and personal liability against Company B's legal representative where applicable.
After the court approved preservation measures and froze Company B's bank accounts, the company's attitude changed immediately.
Company B voluntarily contacted Company A, refunded the improperly charged amounts in full, completed the necessary invoice corrections, and the dispute was ultimately resolved.
What This Case Tells Us About Risk Management
This case demonstrates that effective risk management is much more than dispute mediation.
For JCtrans, maintaining a blacklist is not merely symbolic. Companies found engaging in serious misconduct may face permanent removal from the platform, public risk notification, and the loss of future business opportunities within the network.
More importantly, when negotiation fails, JCtrans provides legal support to help members defend their legitimate rights through judicial channels.
Integrity is not optional—it is a fundamental requirement for participation in the platform. Practices such as undisclosed charges, unreasonable price increases, or coercive business behavior are treated with zero tolerance.
Practical Tips to Avoid Similar Risks
While risks are unavoidable in international logistics, many can be prevented with proper preparation.
Before cooperating with a new partner:Verify the company's membership status, dispute history, and blacklist records through the JCtrans Risk Management System.
During cooperation:·Keep complete records of quotations, fee confirmations, emails, and chat communications to preserve evidence.
If unexpected charges or unfair contract terms arise:Contact the JCtrans Risk Control team immediately instead of attempting to resolve the issue alone.
At JCtrans, we believe trust is built on transparency, accountability, and enforceable rules.
Through Risk Alerts, Dispute resolution, Blacklist management, and legal support, JCtrans continues to help logistics companies reduce risk, resolve disputes efficiently, and build reliable international business partnerships with greater confidence.
