What is an ocean freight invoice?

An ocean freight invoice is the bill a forwarder sends a client for a sea shipment. It itemizes the full door-to-door move, origin charges, the ocean carriage, and destination charges, against one HBL and container.

Unlike a carrier's port-to-port bill, a forwarder's ocean invoice bundles multi-leg logistics into transparent line items and keeps the forwarder's own service fee separate from the port and customs costs advanced for the client. It is also distinct from a commercial invoice, which states the value of the goods for customs.

What an ocean freight invoice must include

• Header: forwarder name and license (FMC/NVOCC), unique invoice number, date, and payment terms.

• Parties: shipper, consignee, and the bill-to party with an accounts-payable contact.

• Shipment reference: HBL and MBL numbers, container number, seal, and type (for example 40' Dry or 20' Reefer), vessel and voyage, POL and POD, and Incoterms.

• Origin local charges: export customs clearance, origin documentation or B/L fee, origin THC (OTHC), and inland pickup.

• Main ocean freight: base ocean rate plus BAF or fuel surcharge, and CAF or PSS where they apply.

• Destination local charges: destination THC (DTHC), import customs clearance, and delivery or drayage.

• Forwarder service fee: your agency fee, shown separately from the pass-through disbursements.

• Totals: services subtotal, disbursements subtotal, tax where applicable, total due, and remittance instructions.

How to create an ocean freight invoice, step by step

1. Add the invoice details: Give it a unique number and issue date, set the due date and terms (for example Net 30), the currency, and FCL or LCL.

2. Enter your forwarder details: Add your company, tax ID, and FMC or NVOCC number. This is the "from" on the invoice.

3. Add the bill-to client: Enter the party you are billing and their accounts-payable contact and account reference.

4. Fill in the ocean shipment: Add the job/file number, HBL and MBL, container number, seal and type, booking, POL and POD, vessel and voyage, ETD/ETA, gross weight, and CBM.

5. Add charges by leg and tag each: Enter origin local charges, the ocean linehaul with BAF/CAF, destination local charges, and your forwarder fee, marking each line Service or Pass-through.

6. Set tax, deposit, and payment: Add a tax rate if services are taxable (it applies to services only), subtract any deposit, and add your remit-to or ACH instructions.

7. Check the live preview: Confirm the totals: services subtotal, disbursements subtotal, and total due. Edit any line and the figures update instantly.

How to download your ocean freight invoice

1. Choose a format in the toolbar: Click Download PDF, Word, or Excel. PDF is best to send to a client's AP team, Word for your letterhead, Excel for the multi-leg math.

2. Enter your email once: The first download asks for your email to unlock all formats. After that, every download on this device is instant.

3. Open in Google Docs or Google Sheets: Prefer Google? Download the Word file and open it in Google Docs, or the Excel file and open it in Google Sheets from your Drive.

4. Print or grab a blank template: Use Print to save as PDF, or download a blank PDF, Word, or Excel ocean invoice to fill in later.

5. Save a draft to reuse: Click Save draft to keep the invoice in your browser, then load it next time and change only what differs.

Ocean freight invoice vs other documents

• Air freight invoice: The air equivalent, billed on an AWB and chargeable weight instead of container and CBM. See the air freight invoice generator.

• Commercial invoice: States the value of the goods for customs, not a bill for services. Use the commercial invoice generator.

• Ocean bill of lading: The carrier's receipt and contract of carriage, not an invoice. See the bill of lading generator.

• Multi-modal freight invoice: For door-to-door moves across modes, use the freight forwarder invoice generator.