Services buying guideLast updated October 2026

Freight Forwarding and Logistics

Freight can make or break a stone deal.

See freight vendorsPost an RFQ
Price level
Mid-range
Best to buy
Feb–May
Top sources
China flagIndia flagTurkey flagBrazil flagItaly flag
Container ship at the Altenwerder container terminal in Hamburg

Photo: Gunnar Ries, CC BY-SA 2.5

Overview

What it is

Stone is heavy, fragile and relatively low in value per tonne, so freight often decides whether an order makes sense. A forwarder books container space, handles export and import customs, arranges inland haulage and cargo insurance, and coordinates documents: bill of lading, invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and wood-packaging certificates.

Stone ships mostly in 20-foot containers, which reach their weight limit long before they're full. Slabs travel in bundles on A-frames or in crates; tiles on pallets; blocks in open-top containers or as break-bulk cargo.

Container
20' dry, limited by weight (road limits vary)
Packing
Crates, bundles, A-frames; ISPM 15 stamped wood
Terms
Incoterms 2020: FOB, CFR, CIF, DAP, DDP
Documents
B/L, invoice, packing list, certificate of origin
Insurance
All-risk cargo cover, including breakage

Applications

Best used for

  • First-time importersCustoms, duties and documents handled for you.
  • Samples and small ordersConsolidated LCL shipments.
  • Door-to-door deliveryDAP or DDP to site.
  • Blocks and project cargoOpen-top and break-bulk.

Hubs

Where to find them

Where the providers cluster, near the quarries, factories and ports that generate the work.

Timing

Best time of year to buy

Space and rates are usually easiest after Lunar New Year (February to April) and hardest in the Q3 peak season and the pre-New-Year rush.

  1. Jan: slower or pricier
  2. Feb: best time to buy
  3. Mar: best time to buy
  4. Apr: best time to buy
  5. May: best time to buy
  6. Jun: normal
  7. Jul: normal
  8. Aug: slower or pricier
  9. Sep: slower or pricier
  10. Oct: slower or pricier
  11. Nov: normal
  12. Dec: slower or pricier
Best time to buy Normal Slower or pricier
  • July to October is peak season for transpacific and Asia–Europe trades.
  • December and January fill up with pre-Lunar-New-Year cargo from China and Vietnam.
  • Book two to three weeks ahead in peak season.

Costs

How it's priced

  • Ocean freight quoted per container, plus surcharges (fuel, peak season, terminal handling).
  • Customs brokerage priced per entry; duties and taxes passed through at cost.
  • Cargo insurance priced as a small percentage of cargo value; breakage cover costs extra.

Often 10 to 30% of landed cost for stone, depending on route and product value.

Before you order

Buying checklist

  1. 1Agree Incoterms in writing: who pays freight, insurance and duty.
  2. 2Weigh bundles: overweight containers are rejected or fined.
  3. 3Insist on ISPM 15 stamped wood packaging.
  4. 4Get photos of loading and lashing.
  5. 5Insure against breakage (all-risk), not just total loss.
  6. 6Check licences: FMC-registered in the US, FIATA membership elsewhere.

Vendor Network

Ready to source freight forwarding and logistics?

Compare verified suppliers, or post an RFQ and let them come to you with quotes.

See freight vendorsPost an RFQ

Keep reading

More in Services

China flagIndia flagTurkey flagBrazil flag

Pre-Shipment Inspection

An independent inspector checks sizes, finish, colour and packing at the factory, before you pay the balance.

  • First orders with a new supplier
  • High-value slabs
  • Large project tiles
Budget
Read guideSee inspection vendors
All 8 guides